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UFC Flyweight Title fight

Alexandre Pantoja VS Joshua Van

T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada, United States

Tale of the Tape

30-7-0 Record 18-2-0
35 Age 24
165 cm Height 165 cm
170 cm Reach 165 cm
orthodox Stance orthodox
67% Finish rate 61%
27% KO rate 50%
40% Sub rate 11%

Result Summary

Joshua Van def. Alexandre Pantoja TKO (arm injury) · R1 0:26

The co-main event ended in shocking fashion just 26 seconds into the first round. Champion Alexandre Pantoja looked to set a fast pace, throwing a high kick early. Joshua Van caught the leg and used the momentum to trip Pantoja to the canvas. As Pantoja attempted to break his fall, he posted his arm awkwardly, resulting in a gruesome dislocation of the elbow (later reported as a shoulder dislocation with spontaneous reduction). Pantoja immediately signaled the injury, and the referee waved off the fight. Joshua Van was crowned the new Flyweight Champion via TKO due to injury, becoming the second-youngest champion in UFC history.

Fight Overview

In the co-main event, Flyweight King Alexandre Pantoja looks to notch another title defense against the surging prospect Joshua Van. Pantoja has looked unstoppable with his chaotic pressure and submission game, while Van has rocketed up the rankings with incredible volume (landing nearly 9 significant strikes per minute) and a fan-friendly style. It is a classic clash of 'Veteran Champion vs. Young Lion,' testing if Van's overwhelming output can crack Pantoja's legendary durability or if the champion's grappling experience will drown the challenger.

Keys to Victory

Alexandre Pantoja

  1. Create Chaos: Drag the fight into scrambles where his transition speed and submission instincts are superior.
  2. Back Control: Aggressively hunt for the back take, which is his most potent win condition.
  3. Pressure Fighting: Force Van onto the back foot to stifle his combination striking and volume.

Joshua Van

  1. High Volume Striking: Overwhelm Pantoja with 3-4 punch combinations, focusing on speed rather than power.
  2. Body Work: Invest heavily in body shots early to drain the champion's gas tank for the later rounds.
  3. Distance Management: Stay at the end of the jab and avoid prolonged clinch exchanges where Pantoja thrives.

Last 5 fights

Alexandre Pantoja

  1. W Kai Kara-France Submission · R3 1:55 · 28 JUN 2025
  2. W Kai Asakura Submission · R2 2:05 · 7 DEC 2024
  3. W Steve Erceg Decision · R5 5:00 · 4 MAY 2024
  4. W Brandon Royval Decision · R5 5:00 · 16 DEC 2023
  5. W Brandon Moreno Decision · R5 5:00 · 8 JUL 2023

Joshua Van

  1. W Brandon Royval Decision · R3 5:00 · 28 JUN 2025
  2. W Bruno Gustavo da Silva TKO · R3 4:01 · 7 JUN 2025
  3. W Rei Tsuruya Decision · R3 5:00 · 8 MAR 2025
  4. W Cody Durden Decision · R3 5:00 · 7 DEC 2024
  5. W Édgar Cháirez Decision · R3 5:00 · 14 SEPT 2024

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AI-generated This analysis was generated with AI and may contain errors.

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