Joshua Van will look to close out his chapter with Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331.
Van (17-2 MMA, 10-1 UFC) put an end to Pantoja's flyweight title reign in just 26 seconds at UFC 323, where Pantoja (30-6 MMA, 14-4 UFC) injured his elbow while landing awkwardly on the mat. With Pantoja out recovering, Van finished Tatsuro Taira by TKO to retain his title at UFC 328 in May.
Now, the pair will run things back in the Sept. 19 main event at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Van already appears to have gotten under Pantoja's skin during the pre-fight press conference.
"He's going to be hungrier than ever," Van told MMA Junkie of Pantoja. "He's going to be more hungry, and I think this will be the best Pantoja we see because I think he wants to get the belt
back for sure. And I don't think he really likes me, right? I think he's going to show out and try to get the belt back, so I think this will be the best Pantoja we see."
Van acknowledges that some have been discrediting his win over Pantoja, and he's ready to silence the naysayers.
"That's what we're here to find out – if that was a fluke or not," Van said. "He was so respectful after the fight, and I was, too. I walked up to him, I told him sorry. He said sorry, and then he made videos saying it was my destiny to be a champion, and I was like – this guy, I respect him so much for that. And I already respected him so much before that because he's like one of the greatest of all time in my eyes.
"And he goes on podcasts or interviews and talking crazy. 'You beat me as a fighter, but as a man, you didn't beat me.' I'm like, what the f*ck are you talking about? That sh*t just kind of annoyed me. I'm like, damn, bro. So you're not a fighter? Like what? I don't get where he's coming at. This is why we're here, man – to really find out."
Taira was able to land numerous takedowns on Van and control him, but the champion eventually got back to his feet and made him pay. Van was asked if his ground defense against Taira gives him confidence heading into his rematch with Pantoja.
"Now I was confident in the first fight," Van said. "You're talking about a real fight? That was a real fight. The first fight too, it was a real fight. There's a lot of things going in the camps and things like that, to make it to the fight, and that itself is a fight. The first fight went the way it went, and now we're here to find out who's the better man. I think I'm the better man, and if he thinks he can beat me, come try it."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Joshua Van out to prove UFC title win over Alexandre Pantoja was no fluke
