Joshua Van Targets Submission Win Over Pantoja at UFC 331

Joshua Van has set a clear goal for his flyweight title defense at UFC 331 on September 19: submit Alexandre Pantoja and end the rematch on the mat.

Van, 24, is the reigning UFC flyweight champion out of Myanmar fighting out of 4oz. Fight Club. Carrying a 17-2-0 record, "The Fearless" has established himself as one of the division's most dangerous offensive threats, averaging an eye-catching 8.84 significant strikes per minute at a 56 percent accuracy rate. He acknowledged that the first meeting with Pantoja did not allow him to impose his grappling, and he is confident the second fight will unfold differently. Van has stated he expects to take Pantoja down and look for a finish in the clinch or on the ground.

Standing across from him will be Alexandre Pantoja, the number-one ranked flyweight contender and the number-four pound-for-pound fighter in the world according to current rankings. The Brazilian veteran, 36, trains out of American Top Team and brings a 30-6-0 record into the bout. "The Cannibal" is himself a capable grappler, averaging 2.8 takedowns per 15 minutes along with one submission attempt per 15 minutes — numbers that suggest a rematch built on the ground could suit his game just as well as Van's.

Why it matters

• Van is putting his flyweight title on the line for the first time against a former champion familiar with championship rounds
• Pantoja's elite takedown rate and submission activity make Van's stated ground-based game plan a high-stakes gamble
• A finish by either man would carry significant weight in the pound-for-pound rankings, where Pantoja already sits fourth
• The first encounter left questions unanswered, giving the rematch added intrigue within a flyweight division currently lacking clarity behind the champion