Alexandre Pantoja vs. Joshua Van Bilion 2 Headlines UFC 331 in Los Angeles

Alexandre Pantoja will challenge for the UFC flyweight title in a rematch when he faces champion Joshua Van at UFC 331, scheduled for September 19 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The event has been officially announced with tickets already on sale.

Van, nicknamed "The Fearless," enters the bout as the reigning flyweight champion at just 24 years old. The Myanmar-born fighter out of 4oz. Fight Club carries a 17-2 record and has established himself as one of the most prolific strikers in the division, landing an exceptional 8.84 significant strikes per minute at a 56 percent accuracy rate. Standing five-foot-five with a 65-inch reach, Van fights out of an orthodox stance and has looked increasingly dominant since claiming the belt.

Pantoja, known as "The Cannibal," brings a 30-6 record into the rematch and represents one of the most seasoned challengers in the flyweight picture. The 36-year-old Brazilian and American Top Team product holds the number-one divisional ranking and sits fourth on the pound-for-pound charts. At five-foot-five with a slightly longer 67-inch reach, Pantoja averages 2.8 takedowns per 15 minutes and attempts roughly one submission per 15 minutes, making him a genuine threat on the ground. He also lands 4.36 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy, giving him a complete offensive game to complement his grappling.

Why it matters

• The rematch carries full divisional stakes with the flyweight title on the line in front of a major Los Angeles audience
• Pantoja's elite grappling and submission threat contrasts sharply with Van's high-volume striking output, creating a compelling stylistic puzzle
• A win for either fighter would carry significant pound-for-pound implications, with Pantoja already sitting fourth on the P4P rankings