Alexandre Pantoja isn't interested in selling Joshua Van rematch

Alexandre Pantoja has made clear that he intends to let his fighting do the talking ahead of his UFC 331 flyweight title rematch against champion Joshua Van on September 19 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

The former champion (30-6) will challenge Van (17-2) in what marks their second encounter. Unlike the lead-up to their first fight, Pantoja says he has no interest in the traditional pre-fight theatrics. He told Full Send MMA that his mindset heading into fight week is entirely different from last time—he plans to skip the press conference and promotional activities entirely, focusing exclusively on the bout itself.

"I don't try to sell this fight anymore; I'm here to fight," Pantoja stated. "I'm in fight week and I'm not here for the press conference; I'm here for Saturday night. My mind is only focused on Saturday." He acknowledged that fans enjoy the pre-fight narrative-building and press conference drama, but he feels he delivered that entertainment during their initial matchup.

The Brazilian's approach reflects a shift in dynamic between the fighters. While their first meeting was relatively cordial, a subsequent press conference saw Van take shots at Pantoja, who did not appreciate the disrespect. This time, Pantoja is determined to avoid engaging in any trash talk or rivalry-building, keeping his energy locked in on performance alone.