Van and Pantoja Both Hit the Flyweight Limit for UFC 331 Rematch

Both men made weight, and now there's nothing left between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja except the walk. The UFC flyweight champion and the former titleholder he beat to take the belt both hit the 125-pound limit Friday ahead of their rematch, headlining Crypto.com UFC 331 on Saturday, September 19 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

This is a quick turnaround for a title do-over, and the stakes are obvious. Van, now 17-2 with nine knockouts, took the strap by stopping Pantoja inside the first round the last time they shared a cage. Pantoja, 30-6 and ranked No. 1 in the division, is trying to reclaim a belt he held before that finish rewrote the flyweight order.

The main event is scheduled for five rounds, as is the co-main. Everything else on the card goes three. The Early Prelims open at 5pm ET, Prelims follow at 7pm ET, and the main card kicks off at 9pm ET, streaming on Paramount+ in the US.

Why the Rematch Even Exists

Rematches usually need justification. This one doesn't need much. A first-round TKO is decisive, but it's also short — there's a case that Pantoja, one of the most experienced grapplers in the division with 12 career submissions, simply didn't get enough time to work. Twelve subs against eight knockouts tells you where his comfort zone lives, and it isn't in a striking sprint.

Van's résumé says the finish was no fluke. He walked into the title fight off a fifth-round TKO of Tatsuro Taira, showing he can close late as well as early. Nine of his 17 wins have come by knockout, and at 125 pounds that kind of pop travels. He's the champion for a reason, and he earned it against the man across from him.

What Pantoja Has to Fix

Pantoja's problem is simple to name and hard to solve: he has to survive Van's early pressure long enough to drag the fight into his world. At 30-6, he's seen every kind of night, and his submission game remains the most dangerous weapon in the matchup on paper. If this becomes a grappling contest, the math shifts in his favor fast.

But that's the whole trick. Van didn't let him get there last time. The champion's task is to repeat the formula — win the early exchanges, stay off his back, and keep Pantoja hunting for something that never arrives.

What's Next Depending on Who Wins

A second Van win would start to feel like a changing of the guard. Beating a former champ twice, the second time convincingly, would clear most of the doubt and force the division to build fresh challengers around him. Pantoja, at 30-6, would have to reset entirely.

A Pantoja win flips it back the other way and turns this into a genuine rivalry — one apiece, with a trilogy practically writing itself. For a division that lives and dies on activity and fresh matchups, that's not the worst outcome for anyone selling tickets.

For now, the scales are settled and the talking is nearly done. Van and Pantoja both made championship weight, the rematch is locked, and Los Angeles gets the answer Saturday night.