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Joshua Van Retains UFC Flyweight Title With Unanimous Win

By Drooid · Sep 20, 2026, 10:15 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Joshua Van Retains Title

Joshua Van retained the U.S. flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331 in Los Angeles.
Arman Tsarukyan knocked out Mauricio Ruffy with elbows at 4:56 of round one, earning a top-contender spot.
Sean Sharaf, an underdog, delivered a 12-second knockout of Gable Steveson, the third-fastest heavyweight KO in UFC history.

Summary

Pantoja Aims Redemption

Van, a dual American-Myanmar citizen, faced 36-year-old Pantoja in a flyweight rematch.
The bout aimed to settle unfinished business after Pantoja’s 2025 elbow injury stopped their first fight.
Van disclosed a shoulder problem after the fight, saying medical clearance will set his next defense date.
Pantoja said his nine-month rehab let him train hard, and the result may define the flyweight pecking order through 2027.

History

Historical Context

UFC 1 debuted on November 12 1993 in Denver, where Royce Gracie won the eight-man tournament, drawing 86,592 pay-per-view buys and launching Brazilian jiu-jitsu worldwide. That breakthrough led the promotion, later steered by Dana White, into a multibillion-dollar sport. Today, UFC 331 in Los Angeles revisits the 2025 injury-halted flyweight clash between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja, echoing the original test of resilience.

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Joshua Van Retains Title

Joshua Van retained the U.S. flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331 in Los Angeles.
Arman Tsarukyan knocked out Mauricio Ruffy with elbows at 4:56 of round one, earning a top-contender spot.
Sean Sharaf, an underdog, delivered a 12-second knockout of Gable Steveson, the third-fastest heavyweight KO in UFC history.

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