TLDR
- Alexandre Pantoja says he will skip promotional duties and focus entirely on his UFC 331 fight against Joshua Van on Saturday
- Joshua Van claims his team found a weakness in Pantoja’s game and predicts a finish within three rounds
- Pantoja’s coach Anderson Franca expects a fourth-round stoppage victory for the Brazilian challenger
- Pantoja defeated Van by decision in their first meeting earlier this year before Van captured the title
- UFC 331 takes place Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles with the flyweight title on the line
Sources: yardbarker.com | sports.yahoo.com | boxingnews.com
Alexandre Pantoja says he is done with promotional duties ahead of his flyweight title rematch against Joshua Van at UFC 331 on Saturday night. The Brazilian champion told reporters this week that his focus is entirely on fighting, not on press conferences or selling the bout.
“I’m not trying to sell this anymore, I’m here to fight,” Pantoja said in video posted by Sherdog. “I’m not here for the press conference; I’m here for Saturday night.”
The change in approach marks a shift from their first meeting. Pantoja defeated Van by decision in that fight earlier this year, but Van’s comments at the rematch announcement press conference reportedly struck Pantoja as disrespectful.
The 24-year-old Van told Full Send MMA that he plans to finish Pantoja within three rounds. He claims his team has identified a weakness in the champion’s game that they will exploit on fight night.
“We’ve studied him and seen a little hole that he has in his game that we are gonna capitalize on,” Van said. “There’s a couple of things I can’t speak on, but it’s going to be done within three rounds.”
THIS IS BRUTAL💔
Alexandre Pantoja suffered a nasty arm injury during the fight. You could immediately tell something was seriously wrong. 😳
Fighting takes a different level of courage, but moments like this remind us just how unforgiving combat sports can be.
Wishing Pantoja… pic.twitter.com/U8sDGj7Fet
— Stallion (@Stallion1493334) September 15, 2026
Both Camps Predict Finishes
Van said he is not worried about Pantoja’s grappling abilities. He pointed to his recent performance against Tatsuro Taira as evidence that he can compete on the mat and even look for submissions himself.
Pantoja’s muay thai coach at American Top Team, Anderson Franca, told Sherdog he expects a fourth-round stoppage. Franca said Pantoja has prepared surprises for the rematch and believes Van will try to keep the fight standing out of respect for Pantoja’s ground game.
“Pantoja can surprise him on the feet as well,” Franca said. “This was a particularly good training camp.”
Franca added that Pantoja’s conditioning coach pushed him hard to ensure he can maintain a high pace for all five rounds if needed. The coach believes Van will avoid the ground game where Pantoja typically excels.
Champion Takes Different Approach
Pantoja’s decision to skip promotional activities represents a clear change in strategy. The champion said his mental energy is directed entirely toward Saturday’s bout rather than the lead-up events.
The flyweight division headliner was moved up on short notice from its original date. Both fighters accepted the change and have been preparing for the accelerated timeline.
Van captured the 125-pound title from Pantoja earlier this year. This rematch gives Pantoja a chance to reclaim the belt he previously held.
The tone between the two fighters has grown sharper since their first meeting. Van delivered pointed comments at a recent press conference that Pantoja took as a sign of disrespect.
Franca said the training camp went particularly well for Pantoja. He believes the Brazilian will be ready for whatever Van brings to the octagon on Saturday night.
Van enters the fight with a 16-2 record. At 24 years old, he represents a younger generation challenging the established champion.
Pantoja has emphasized that his mind is focused only on Saturday night. He told reporters he has no interest in trash talk or press conference theatrics.
UFC 331 takes place Saturday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The flyweight title rematch serves as the main event of the evening.
