Joshua Van will defend his UFC flyweight title against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331 on Sept. 19, 2026, according to multiple sources. The rematch comes two years after Van won the title when Pantoja dislocated his elbow early in their first fight at UFC 323 in December 2025. The first fight ended in just 26 seconds, with Pantoja’s injury leading to an early stoppage. Van has since defended the title with a fifth-round stoppage over Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328 in May 2026.

High Stakes and Tension at Press Conference

The buildup to UFC 331 has been contentious. At the event’s press conference, tensions flared between Van and Pantoja. Van mocked Pantoja and interrupted him during his remarks, prompting Pantoja to walk toward Van before security intervened. “When someone talks, you shut your f*cking mouth,” Pantoja warned Van during the heated exchange, according to MMA Fighting. Van responded with taunts, saying, “You ain’t doing shit. Sit your ass down,” and even joked about giving Pantoja “some milk.”

Van has been unapologetic about his aggressive approach. “Had that not happened, I would have still whooped his ass that day,” Van said when asked about the injury that awarded him the title. Pantoja, meanwhile, has been working hard to return to form, with his strength and conditioning coach Everton Oliveira noting that Pantoja’s recovery was impressive and that he has been training at his peak level since the injury, according to MMA Mania.

Van’s Ambitions and Pantoja’s Resilience

Van is confident in his ability to secure a decisive victory at UFC 331. “I beat him the first time, and I’m going to do it again this time,” Van told MMA Junkie. He added that he expects to finish Pantoja within three rounds, echoing his prediction from their first fight. Van, who will headline the event for the first time, said the opportunity was a “crazy” moment for him and his team. “The whole gym – we went crazy,” he said. “But now, it kinda like ease into it, for sure.”

Pantoja, for his part, has shown no signs of backing down. “I respect where I’m from. I’m from Brazil. In Brazil, you need to take care about what you talk. If not, maybe you lose your teeth,” Pantoja retorted during the press conference. Oliveira praised Pantoja’s resilience and recovery, calling him “Pantoja 2.0 turbo” and noting that he is now “more mature and at his physical and technical prime.”

Looking Ahead in the Flyweight Division

Van has been active since winning the title, aiming to stay busy as champion. “I always want to stay active,” he said. “If I’m gonna be training all the time, why not fight all the time, right?” Van started his 2026 campaign with a title defense against Tatsuro Taira, which he won via fifth-round stoppage. Both fighters received Fight of the Night bonuses, according to MMA Junkie.

Van acknowledged that Pantoja deserves a rematch once he’s fully recovered and is open to the idea of facing him again. “Dominó la división. Es justo que le den la revancha,” Van said in Spanish to MMA DAZN. “Espero mucho que podamos volver a pelear.” Despite this, Van is focused on his immediate opponent and insists that the past is in the rearview mirror. “Eso ya pasó. Ahora mismo estoy centrado en Taira,” he said.

UFC 331 will be held at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and will feature Van and Pantoja in the main event. The co-main event will see Arman Tsarukyan face Mauricio Ruffy, as reported by MMA Mania. The event will air on Paramount+ in the United States.