Alexandre Pantoja. – Foto: instagram @ pantoja_oficial
Alexandre Pantoja, UFC flyweight champion, will defend his title against challenger Joshua Van in the co-main event of UFC 323, scheduled for December 6 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The confirmation came this Monday (13) through an announcement by president Dana White, following a leak during UFC Rio last Saturday. The matchup follows Van’s request after he impressed by replacing an injured fighter and defeating Brandon Royval in June. Pantoja, 35, aims for his fifth consecutive title defense, while Van, 23, targets the belt in his ninth UFC fight.
The bout promises a clash between the Brazilian’s sharp jiu-jitsu and the American-Burman’s high-volume striking.
Joshua Van’s rise in the division
Joshua Van earned the title shot with a five-fight win streak in the UFC, including a unanimous decision over Royval at UFC 317. Born in Myanmar and based in Houston, Van holds 15 wins in 17 professional fights, with nine knockouts and four submissions. His 8.86 strikes per minute is the highest in flyweight history, making him a constant threat on the feet.
Van joined the UFC in 2023, securing quick wins over names like Zhalgas Zhumagulov and Kevin Borjas, cementing his top-2 rank.
He replaced an injured Manel Kape and set a record for 419 significant strikes in a three-round fight against Royval.
Pantoja’s dominant record
Alexandre Pantoja, from Arraial do Cabo (RJ), boasts 28 wins in 33 fights, with eight submissions and 11 decisions. Champion since July 2023 after defeating Brandon Moreno at UFC 290, he defended the title against Royval (UFC 296), Steve Erceg (UFC 301), Kai Asakura (UFC 310), and Kai Kara-France (UFC 317).
His four consecutive defenses extended an eight-fight unbeaten streak, relying on offensive grappling with finishes like the rear-naked choke against Kara-France. Pantoja has 14 UFC wins, including knockouts and decisions against fighters like Matt Schnell.
The Brazilian called Van his “biggest challenge” in a post-UFC 317 interview, noting the youngster’s improved takedown defense.
UFC 323 card details
The event takes place at T-Mobile Arena, marking the final ESPN-era UFC pay-per-view. The main event features a bantamweight title rematch between Merab Dvalishvili and Petr Yan.
Other confirmed fights include:
- Henry Cejudo vs. Payton Talbott, bantamweight;
- Jan Blachowicz vs. Bogdan Guskov, light heavyweight;
- Maycee Barber vs. Karine Silva, main card;
- Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Antônio Trocoli, prelims.
More fights will be announced soon, with exclusive ESPN+ Pay-Per-View broadcast.
Expected strategies in the octagon
Pantoja plans to leverage his black-belt jiu-jitsu to take the fight to the ground, where he finishes 57% of opponents. He completed 70% of takedown attempts in recent defenses, controlling fight time. Van bets on his 82% takedown defense, honed at Houston’s 4oz Fight Club, to keep the fight standing.
The challenger favors distance management with jabs and low kicks, as seen in his win over Royval, where he stuffed 65% of takedown attempts. Analysts expect a cautious first round, with intense striking exchanges later.
Both begin preparation in November, targeting the 125-pound limit in an eight-week camp.
Athletes’ preparation and expectations
Pantoja returns to camp after a break post-UFC 317, training at his Rio de Janeiro gym with his team. He emphasized adapting to Van’s versatile style, blending Burmese muay thai with improved wrestling. The champion lands 90% of clinch strikes, a key tool for wearing opponents down.
Joshua Van, coached by Daniel Pineda and Jose Santibanez, celebrated the announcement on social media, calling it a “legacy opportunity.” With only one UFC loss, to Charles Johnson in 2023, he aims to become the third-youngest champion at 24.
Both expressed confidence in interviews, with Pantoja predicting a five-round war and Van banking on a third-round knockout.
Recent flyweight division timeline
The flyweight division saw five Pantoja title defenses since 2023, raising the bar for matchups. Van entered the top 5 with wins in 11 months, including decisions against ranked foes.
UFC 323 closes the year with two title fights, following events like UFC Rio and UFC 317.
