Fearless vs. The Cannibal: Van and Pantoja Run It Back at UFC 331.

Written By: Daunte Lee Jones

College Football, Film, & MMA Contributor

Joshua Van is the UFC Flyweight Champion and the first male champion born in the 2000s.

Joshua Van locked in during his fight against Pantoja.

Arman Tsarukyan with the ground and pound.

Mauricio Ruffy goes for the head kick.

Gable Steveson looks to finish his opponent.

Veteran Tai Tuavasa looks to land a leg kick.

On Saturday, September 19th, 2026, live from Los Angeles, California, the Crypto.com Arena will host UFC 331. The card hopes to build on the company’s recent viral success from moments like Sean Strickland’s triumph against Khamzat Chimaev and Justin Gaethje’s upset victory over Ilia Topuria to claim the Lightweight championship.

The event is headlined by one of the most anticipated rematches in modern UFC history: Joshua Van versus Alexandre Pantoja for the Flyweight championship. Clashes between upcoming contenders, wily veterans, and youthful prospects seeking the opportunity to breakout, makes out an explosive card. 

At UFC 323, the world watched as Joshua Van defeated Alexander Pantoja for the Flyweight championship. Unfortunately, the crowning achievement would become nothing more than fuel used to tarnish Van’s building legacy, as the result of the bout was determined not by knockout or submission but a severe elbow injury to Pantoja, causing for the match’s immediate end. Fans as well as contenders from the Flyweight division would mark Van’s victory as a fluke–up until an incredible gritty performance in a title defense against Tatsuro Taira earned the Myanmar native the respect of his audience and peers. But, at the end of the day there is only one fight in the UFC that will quiet all of Van’s doubters, and that is against the returning former Flyweight champ, Alexander Pantoja. 

Heading into the matchup, Van is widely seen as the underdog, but with the way both fighters have conducted themselves with the press, you’d think the opposite is true. Joshua Van has lived up to his “Fearless” moniker, disrespecting his Brazilian opponent every chance he gets, while Pantoja has looked visibly uncomfortable and emotional, even reminiscing about his career’s journey before injury at a recent press conference, almost as if he does not have the confidence in his return after the gruesome arm injury. 

Van will look to keep the fight on the feet, and claim advantage over the former champ with his explosive boxing power, precise timing and countering ability. Meanwhile, Pantoja aims to exploit the champion's lack of experience compared to his own to counter Van’s boxing with Muay Thai, then bring the fight to the ground where “The Cannibal” can drain his opponent’s stamina or capture him in a submission. Due to Joshua Van’s high level submission defense, which he showcased against an excellent grappler in Tatsuro Taira, in combination with Pantoja’s likely rust after nearly a full year inactive, I believe Van will be able to push the pace of the match upright and land a knockout blow on Pantoja in the second round, solidifying the age of Van. 

The co-main event of this card features an inescapable war between Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy. This matchup will award the victor with their own unique golden path. Tsarukyan can establish himself as the number one contender for the Lightweight title, or Ruffy can position himself to compete against headlining fighters like Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira. Tsarukyan has publicly stated that Ruffy is a one-dimensional fighter whose only plan is to land a knockout blow. The man born in Coruripe, Alagoas, Brazil has passionately replied that his purpose in the ring is to knock people out–and that decision wins are unfinished business to him that keeps him up at night.

As for what to expect from each fighter’s gameplan, it is pretty obvious. The favorite, Arman Tsarukyan, will threaten Ruffy with his powerful striking ability before using his freakish athleticism to leap, close distance, drag his opponent to the ground, and either score points or look for a submission while showing off his insane flexibility and maneuvering on the mat.

Ruffy, however, will favor a long striking battle, utilizing his unique stance–a blend of Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson’s wide, bladed lower base with a traditional boxing top half–to patiently hunt for the opportunity to land deadly counterstrikes to put down the number two ranked Lightweight. As much as the outcome of Ruffy landing a spectacular blow excites me, realistically I don’t believe Arman will give him the opening. Expect for the Georgian to relentlessly pursue takedowns and smother Ruffy, who has never dealt with an Olympic-level grappler like Tsarukyan before. The fight will be decided on the ground, as Arman will earn a unanimous decision win in the fifth round. 

Rounding out the card is a mix of returning veterans seeking redemption and young fighters ready to make a name for themselves. Tai Tuavasa looks to put on an entertaining fight as his eight-fight losing streak extends by way of being fed to one of the UFC’s shiniest new toys, Robelis Despaigne. Gable Steveson aims to keep his own streak alive–of first round knockouts–against the sacrificial lamb, Sean Sharaf. Brian Ortega looks to prove he can compete in the modern-day UFC and claim his first victory since 2024 against fellow vet Renato Moicano. The last great storyline to look for entering the card is Iwo Baraniewski’s freight train of an undefeated win streak colliding with solid competition in Alonzo Menifield.

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