Joshua Van officially cemented his status as the UFC’s top flyweight, snatching a unanimous decision win over Alexandre Pantoja to defend his 125-pound belt in the UFC 331 main event. This wasn’t some quick fluke, either; it was a grueling, back-and-forth war that proved Van is for real.
The Fight Was a Banger, Even With the Controversy
Their first matchup barely got started, but this rematch? Fireworks from the jump. Pantoja tried to take an early lead, hitting a successful takedown and grinding with his grappling. But Van’s no easy mark. He worked his way back to his feet, and then both guys just started absolutely landing bombs in the striking. Things got spicy in the second round when Van and Pantoja’s heads collided. Pantoja ended up cut and appealed to referee Herb Dean, but Dean wasn’t having it. The Brazilian didn’t let it stop him, though, pushing for another takedown and keeping the pressure on Van. The champ, as expected, brought his own heat right back. They traded highlight-reel worthy shots all night long.
Van’s Fifth Round: No Doubts Left
Those exchanges made for some super tight scorecards going into the fifth and final round. That’s when Van put his foot on the gas. He came out swinging, delivered his strongest round of the night, scored a knockdown, and almost put Pantoja away. Seriously, he was *that* close to a finish, but Pantoja just barely hung on to make it to the judges’ decision. This unanimous win totally vindicates Van, especially since their first fight was so weird, with Van getting the belt after Pantoja suffered an arm injury less than 30 seconds in. The 24-year-old has been on a tear, too. He defended his title earlier this year in May with a fifth-round TKO win over Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328. A four-month turnaround is a busy schedule for any champ, but Van clearly thrives on it.
Who’s Next For The Champ?
Van’s not slowing down, either. “I always want to stay active,” Van told Matthew Wells of MMAJunkie. “If I’m gonna be training all the time, why not fight all the time, right? That’s kind of my mindset.” If he wants to get back in the cage ASAP, Manel Kape looks like the next logical contender. Kape hasn’t fought Van yet, he’s riding a four-fight win streak with four knockouts, and he doesn’t have a fight booked right now. That sounds like a perfect storm for another incredible title defense, and we can’t wait to see if Van keeps up this insane pace!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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