This is the UFC 331 live blog for Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja, the flyweight championship main event bout Saturday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Van and Pantoja run it back after Van won the belt at UFC 323 this past December in shocking fashion when Pantoja suffered an arm injury just 26 seconds into the contest.
With Pantoja sidelined, Van (17-2) returned to action at UFC 328, where he scored a fifth-round knockout of Tatsuro Taira in a thriller to author his first title defense. At 24, Van became the second-youngest champion in UFC history behind Jon Jones when he defeated Pantoja.
Pantoja (30-6) was on a dominant championship run before losing to Van. After earning a split nod over longtime rival Brandon Moreno to capture the belt, he successfully defended it four consecutive times, beating Kai Kara-France, Kai Asakura, Steve Erceg, and Brandon Royval. He is currently in the top 5 of the MMA Fighting Pound-for-Pound Rankings.
Check out the UFC 331 live blog for Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2 below.
Here we go, Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja for all the marbles. No more unanswered questions!
Herb Dean the third man in the cage for this championship main event.
Oooh, no glove touch. OOOOOOOOH. Van went for it, but Pantoja pulled back.
Pantoja throwing big punches right away, body lock, and he has Van down! We’re not 15 seconds into this contest yet. Pantoja looks hungry. Van not in immediate danger, but Pantoja is latched onto him. Pantoja just staying heavy, plenty of time to work this round.
Pantoja goes to take the back, but Van explodes up and turns the situation around, he’s in Pantoja’s guard now. It’s the champion with the chance to move ahead on the scorecards now, half a round remaining. Pantoja busy from the bottom and Van decides to get out of there. More heavy leather from Pantoja, Van firing back, this is a brawl on the feet. Van blocks a trip and pushes Pantoja away.
Jab from Pantoja, Van now the one coming forward. If they keep this up for five rounds, this will be an all-timer. Pantoja setting up his offense with leg kicks, Pantoja firing in straight punches. Left hook catches Pantoja square. Elbow from Van might have cut Pantoja. Late takedown by Pantoja, immediately into mount, he’s throwing punches with time ticking away, Van doing well to tie him up. Van ends the round by getting back up. What a round.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Pantoja.
Pantoja immediately in Van’s face, he works to secure a Thai plum, they’re letting their hands go. Pantoja complains of a headbutt, he says that’s where his cut came from. He’s fuming. Replay definitely shows a clash, but looked accidental. Doctor in to look at the cut. I swear if they stop this…
We’re back on, with officials deeming the headbutt to be accidental. Pantoja right back in for a takedown. Insane pace. Van keeping a wide base, refusing to be put on his back. They’re back in space, and we have another back-and-forth striking exchange. Van mixing up his strikes, Pantoja meeting him blow for blow. That Van jab is looking good, but Pantoja looks content to walk through it so he can land his own shots. Good body kicks from Pantoja. Van starting to consistently counter.
Van stuffs another takedown. Counter punch from Van, the boxing is looking sharp. Big right hand from Van. Pantoja goes for a takedown, Van quickly reverses and is back on top. They return to the feet, Van stings him with a right. Van counters a clinch attempt with a few rib-roasters. Pantoja lands a right. Slick level change by Pantoja for a takedown, time ticking away. Pantoja scrambles to the back, but he doesn’t have time to do much with this position.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Van. Overall, 19-19.
Pantoja looks annoyed as Van swarms him with punches. He blasts Van with a high front kick. Van rips the body, then lands a counter left. Clear volume advantage for Van right now. Pantoja looking a bit slower in this round, telegraphing his takedowns. They’re standing in the middle and trading punches, my goodness, what a fight.
Just beautiful combinations from Van, he’s pulling away in this round, even as Pantoja continues to come forward in classic Terminator fashion. He’s not making anything easy for Van. They grapple and it’s Van who temporarily has the back, but he wisely gives up the position to get back to striking. Van cracks Pantoja, but Pantoja eats it and dives in for a takedown.
Pantoja just hasn’t been able to do much with top control, certainly not enough to steal this round back. He tries a spinning elbow as they separate, Van has it scouted. He is just battering Pantoja with combos and Pantoja tells him to bring it on. What in the world???
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Van. Overall, 29-28.
Pantoja with a gorgeous low kick-high kick combination. The former champion wants his damn belt back. Van stuffs a takedown. He is just landing straight shot after straight show now. Were it not for Pantoja’s legendary chin, this would have been over a long time ago. And Pantoja gets a takedown!
Van doing well to avoid damage from bottom position as he has throughout the fight. He’s stuck on his back for now, though. Pantoja with an elbow. Van methodically works up to his feet, but Pantoja maintains the body lock and stops him from rising. Still, has Pantoja done much damage this round?
Pantoja wants to advance, but he has limited options as they grapple next to the fence. Van threatens with a heel hook that never really had a chance of succeeding. Pantoja grinding away. Tricky round to score, but Van’s early work was the most substantial in my eyes.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Van. Overall, 39-37.
Pantoja trying to kick his way in, Van pops his head back with a few straight punches. Pantoja wants to get in. He’s clearly outboxing Pantoja. Pantoja’s kicks are fine, but Pantoja is landing punches to the face over and over again. That’s not a good way to regain the belt, Pants!
Aggression is awesome, but Pantoja just keeps getting hit and he hasn’t gone for a takedown through half a round. Curious. Van letting his hands go, he’s pulling away now. Massive right hand puts Pantoja down! Wow! Van follows him down and attacks the arm, but Pantoja too slippery. Back on the feet, Van continues the onslaught. Pantoja firing back with a minute to go, but he’s underwater right now.
Van attacks on the ground, but decides to stand with 30 seconds to go. Pantoja standing in the phonebooth with him, just pure violence. This is Van’s world, though. And still.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Van. Overall, 49-46 Van.
Official result: Joshua Van def. Alexandre Pantoja via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-47, 50-45)
“A lot of people said that was an accidental win the first time,” Van says. “Doubt me now.”
He says he has nothing but respect for Pantoja, “He’s a tough motherf*cker, man.” He adds that he has no clue how Pantoja avoided his arm submission.
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