‘I’m his dad’: Joshua Van continues to mock Alexandre Pantoja ahead of UFC 331 rematch

Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja have developed genuine animosity ahead of their UFC 331 flyweight title rematch, a stark contrast to their respectful interactions before their first encounter. Their pre-fight press conference turned contentious, with Pantoja claiming Dana White prevented him from slapping Van over perceived disrespect. Pantoja suggested Van deserved correction from a parental figure for his behavior. Van responded dismissively, stating "As far as I checked, I'm his dad," and countered that Pantoja's own disrespectful comments warranted censure. Van attributes Pantoja's hostility to frustration over losing his title position and attempting to recast their narrative by positioning himself as the virtuous fighter. The original encounter ended controversially when Pantoja suffered a freak injury seconds into the bout and could not continue, handing Van the flyweight championship. Van subsequently retained the title in an acclaimed victory against Tatsuro Taira, one of 2025's best fights. Van believes Pantoja is being disingenuous with his "good guy" persona and contradicting his own statements seen in promotional videos. Despite the verbal sparring, Van maintains indifference toward Pantoja's comments, viewing them as reflective of genuine dislike rather than strategic promotion. He plans to settle the dispute definitively when they meet Saturday.