Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2: Both predict UFC 331 finishes

Both Alexandre Pantoja and Joshua Van have expressed confidence in their ability to finish their UFC 331 flyweight title rematch, with each fighter and their camps identifying specific weaknesses to exploit on September 19 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Pantoja (30-6) seeks to reclaim the title from champion Van (17-2) in their 125-pound clash. The Brazilian's striking coach at American Top Team, Anderson Franca, outlined an ambitious game plan that goes beyond Van's likely expectation that Pantoja would lean heavily on grappling. Franca told Sherdog that Pantoja has prepared multiple strategies—"Plan A and Plan B"—and studied Van's performance against Taira to anticipate the champion's approach. Franca believes Van will prioritize keeping the fight standing to neutralize Pantoja's ground game, but insisted that Pantoja can also threaten on the feet. "I believe Pantoja will get the finish in the fourth round," Franca predicted. He also noted that this training camp was particularly strong, with conditioning work ensuring Pantoja can sustain intensity across all five rounds if needed.

Meanwhile, Van expressed equal conviction in his own path to victory. The 24-year-old champion told Full Send MMA that he has identified holes in Pantoja's game and isn't intimidated by the former champ's grappling prowess. Van suggested he could even capitalize with a submission attempt, referencing his ground resilience against Taira. "It's going to be done within three rounds," Van stated confidently, though he declined to reveal specific details of his game plan.