Joshua Van solidified his position as the premier flyweight in the UFC on Saturday, delivering a masterful striking display to defeat Alexandre Pantoja via unanimous decision at UFC 331 in Los Angeles. The judges scored the bout 49-46, 49-47, and 50-45, handing the 24-year-old Myanmar native a definitive win in a high-stakes main event that settled the tension stemming from their first encounter last December.
Their initial meeting had ended prematurely after just 26 seconds when Pantoja suffered an accidental elbow dislocation, forcing a controversial outcome that saw Van crowned champion without a full contest. Since that night, Van successfully defended his title against Tatsuro Taira in May while waiting for the 36-year-old Brazilian to recover. Following his decisive victory on Saturday, which brought his professional record to 18-2, Van declared, “A lot of people said that was an accidental win… well, doubt me now.”
The fight began with a tactical challenge for the champion, as Pantoja secured an early takedown and pressed the action with heavy punches. Recognizing the danger, Van’s corner urged him to maintain distance, advising, “You’re too good to brawl with this guy.” Heeding this, Van utilized clinical left jabs in the second round and fluid combinations in the third to control the pace. Although Pantoja managed to ground the champion in the fourth, he could not find a submission. Van regained momentum in the fifth, flooring Pantoja with a powerful overhand right to seal the scorecard victory.
Elsewhere on the card, lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan strengthened his case for a title shot against Justin Gaethje. Tsarukyan showcased his finishing ability by pinning Mauricio Ruffy against the fence and ending the fight with a perfectly placed right elbow with just four seconds remaining in the opening round. Reflecting on his sixth consecutive victory, Tsarukyan noted he remained patient for his moment.
In the featherweight division, former Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull secured his first stoppage win in the UFC by dismantling South Korea’s Dooho Choi. Pitbull unleashed a barrage of volume strikes before a final right hand forced the referee to end the bout three minutes and 28 seconds into the first round, snapping Choi’s three-fight finishing streak.
The evening also featured a massive upset in the heavyweight ranks as Sean Sharaf shocked Gable Steveson in just 12 seconds. The lightning-fast TKO ranks as the third-fastest finish in UFC heavyweight history. A clearly frustrated Steveson left the cage immediately following the stoppage, refusing to participate in the post-fight proceedings as Sharaf celebrated his stunning breakthrough victory before an enthusiastic crowd. The report also notes that defeating the Brazilian via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-47, 50-45) in the main event on Saturday night, undisputed flyweight champion Van cemented his reign atop the 125-pound (56.7kg) division. The report also notes that pantoja controlled the fourth round as he took Van down but was unable to submit him. The report also notes that former four-time, two-division Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull (38-9 MMA) earned his first UFC stoppage win, dismantling South Korea’s Dooho Choi via total knockout (TKO) within three minutes and 28 seconds of the opening round, in featherweight action. The report also notes that a promotional mainstay who has competed under the UFC banner since 2014, pitbull snapped a three-fight finishing streak for Choi.
Comments