Joshua Van recreates Dustin Poirier's viral arrest pose ahead of UFC 331 title defense

UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van brought some levity to fight week ahead of UFC 331, recreating Dustin Poirier's now-famous airport arrest pose while showing off his new custom fight shorts.

Van, nicknamed "The Fearless," mimicked the stance Poirier struck during widely circulated arrest footage and even delivered the line Poirier uttered in the clip. The moment was shared through the UFC's official social media channels and quickly caught fire online.

The 24-year-old champion out of Myanmar carries a 17-2-0 professional record into Saturday's event and has established himself as one of the most active strikers in the flyweight division. Fighting out of 4oz. Fight Club, Van lands an exceptional 8.84 significant strikes per minute at a 56 percent accuracy rate — numbers that place him among the busiest and most precise finishers in the 125-pound class.

Standing across from him will be Alexandre Pantoja, the number-one ranked flyweight and a top-five pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. The Brazilian, nicknamed "The Cannibal" and training out of American Top Team, holds a 30-6-0 record and brings a well-rounded game built on volume grappling, landing 2.8 takedowns per 15 minutes. At 36, Pantoja is the seasoned veteran in this rematch, and his 4.36 significant strikes per minute pairs with a submission threat that Van's pure striking output will need to account for.

Why it matters

• Van's striking rate of 8.84 significant strikes per minute dwarfs Pantoja's 4.36, making distance management a central theme
• Pantoja's 2.8 takedowns per 15 minutes represent the clearest path to neutralizing Van's elite stand-up output
• A flyweight title changes hands or a champion cements his reign — divisional power shifts either way
• The rematch dynamic adds additional stakes, with both men carrying previous knowledge of each other into the cage