TLDR
- Drake placed a $650,000 bet on Joshua Van to defeat Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331 on Saturday
- Van won the flyweight title from Pantoja in December after a 26-second injury stoppage
- Drake could win over $1 million if Van successfully defends his championship
- The rapper has lost several recent high-profile bets, including $1 million on Conor McGregor
- The UFC 331 main event takes place Saturday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles
Sources: yardbarker.com | mmajunkie.usatoday.com
Canadian rapper Drake has placed a $650,000 bet on flyweight champion Joshua Van to defeat Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331 on Saturday night in Los Angeles. The wager could net Drake over $1 million if Van successfully defends his title at the Crypto.com Arena.
Drake shared an image of his bet slip on his Instagram Stories on Friday. “I don’t know bro…but he better win,” Drake wrote alongside the post.
The bet comes ahead of a highly anticipated rematch between Van and Pantoja. Van captured the flyweight title from Pantoja in December at UFC 323 in Las Vegas after Pantoja suffered a dislocated elbow just 26 seconds into the fight.
Joe Rogan told Joshua Van that he won his title "by accident"
🗣️ Van: "It ain't no accident man. It happened the way it did, and it was meant to be." #UFC331 https://t.co/jaIv3v3oh0 pic.twitter.com/v1iGlK5yPd
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 19, 2026
Van Defends Title Against Former Champion
Van has already defended his championship once since winning it from Pantoja. The Burmese fighter defeated Japan’s Tatsuro Taira to cement his position as the reigning flyweight champion.
Pantoja is looking to reclaim the title he lost due to the freak injury. The Brazilian fighter, nicknamed “The Cannibal,” competed in Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins at the same venue where he will face Van on Saturday.
Drake’s betting history in combat sports has earned him a reputation for a so-called “curse.” The rapper has lost several high-profile bets on major UFC events in recent months.
Drake’s Recent Betting Losses
Drake lost $1 million in July after betting on Conor McGregor to win his return fight at International Fight Week. The Irish fighter lost the bout, costing Drake his entire wager.
The rapper also lost money betting on Jake Paul to defeat Anthony Joshua in 2025. He placed another losing bet on Charles Oliveira to beat Ilia Topuria that same year.
Van enters the rematch with a record of 16-2 in mixed martial arts and 10-1 in the UFC. Pantoja holds a record of 30-6 overall and 14-4 inside the UFC octagon.
The UFC 331 main card will stream on Paramount+ from the Crypto.com Arena. The flyweight title fight headlines the event, which also features the return of Arman Tsarukyan after a 10-month absence.
Van and Pantoja faced off at Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins. Both fighters appeared ready for their rematch after an intense fight week in Los Angeles.
The original December fight ended in controversy due to the quick injury stoppage. Saturday’s rematch will give Pantoja his first real chance to compete against Van for a full fight.
Drake’s $650,000 bet represents one of his largest public wagers on a UFC event. If Van wins, the rapper stands to collect over $1 million in winnings from the fight.
