Joshua Van is walking around like he owns the UFC flyweight division, but Alexandre Pantoja is absolutely seething, ready to reclaim the title he feels was ripped away from him in seconds due to an injury. The rematch for the flyweight belt is going down at UFC 331 on September 19 in Los Angeles, and trust me, the bad blood is boiling.
The Flyweight Firestorm in L.A.
Van’s confidence is through the roof, and why wouldn’t it be? He snatched the title from Pantoja in a flash and then put on an impressive defense against Tatsuro Taira back in April. That kind of swagger, though, has totally lit a fire under Pantoja. He feels completely disrespected and overlooked, even though many are calling him arguably the second-best flyweight ever. This isn’t just a title fight, it’s personal, with Pantoja desperate to prove he never truly lost.
The L.A. card itself is stacked, man. Arman Tsarukyan, who’s probably the biggest draw on the whole event, is looking to lock in a lightweight title shot by taking out knockout artist Mauricio Ruffy. Plus, you’ve got Patricio Pitbull squaring off against Doo Ho Choi, Renato Moicano battling Brian Ortega, and Alonzo Menifield going toe-to-toe with Iwo Baraniewski. Even the prelims are looking wild, with Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson having his second pro fight and Marlon “Chito” Vera clashing with Charles Jourdain. This card is absolutely loaded for Fight Night!
Vacant Gold and a Kickboxing Ghost
Just two weeks after the L.A. madness, the UFC keeps the gas pedal down, heading to Salt Lake City for UFC 332 on October 3. This time, it’s the vacant women’s flyweight championship on the line. Valentina Shevchenko had to give up her title because of an injury, which is a huge bummer for her, but it opens the door for two absolute killers.
Natalia Silva, who a lot of people thought was next in line for Shevchenko anyway, is now facing Wang Cong for that gold. And get this: Wang Cong and “Bullet” Shevchenko actually have history! The Chinese fighter beat Shevchenko in a kickboxing bout over ten years ago. Talk about a full circle moment! This isn’t just for a belt, it’s a chance for Wang to solidify her place against another top contender, and for Silva to finally grab the title she’s been working for.
The next few weeks in the UFC are going to be wild. After UFC 332, we’ve got UFC Fight Night on October 10 with Brendan Allen vs. Christian Leroy Duncan, then Joaquin Buckley vs. Mike Malott in Edmonton on October 17. But honestly, the immediate focus is all on Van and Pantoja settling their beef and Silva and Cong crowning a new champ. You definitely don’t want to miss a second of this action.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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