Flyweight Championship Co-Main Event: Alexandre Pantoja vs Joshua Van
Before the bantamweight title goes up for grabs, flyweight ruler Alexandre Pantoja makes his customary December defense of his title, facing off with 2025 breakout star Joshua Van in what has the potential to be a fascinating matchup.
This is the third straight year Pantoja has defended his title in December, having bested Brandon Royval and Kai Asakura in his last two winter trips to Las Vegas. Earlier this year at UFC 317, the Brazilian superstar dominated and submitted Kai Kara-France to earn his fourth consecutive successful title defense and eighth straight win overall, prompting the a serious discussion about the all-time best fighters at 125-pounds.
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Van only made his UFC debut in June 2023, yet he heads into this one with an 8-1 record inside the Octagon, including a 5-fight winning streak, and is poised to close out the year challenging for championship gold. After rolling through Rei Tsuruya in March, the 24-year-old from Houston (by way of Myanmar) stopped Bruno Silva at UFC 316 and then hustled back into action three weeks later and out-worked Brandon Royval at UFC 317 to claim his place as the No. 1 contender.
What makes this matchup so compelling is that while Van, a dynamic athlete 10-plus years Pantoja’s junior with outstanding hands and improving grappling, profiles as a genuine threat to the champion, “The Cannibal” is on an absolute heater right now. This could be an instance where the champion is tested or another “you’re not on my level” showing against a young standout who should remain a fixture in the title picture for the foreseeable future. Seeing how things play out is going to be riveting.