Alexandre Pantoja return targeted for UFC 331

The flyweight belt may be headed straight back into old business. Alexandre Pantoja has not been away long enough for the division to forget him, but Joshua Van has used that gap to make the weight class feel faster, younger and a little less patient.

That is the edge around the latest report: Van vs. Pantoja 2 is being targeted for UFC 331 on September 19 at the UFC’s rumored Intuit Dome return in Los Angeles. The promotion has not announced the bout, and the card still has no official headliner, so this remains a working plan rather than a sealed fight poster.

Pantoja’s first meeting with Van ended with the belt changing hands after the Brazilian suffered an arm injury early at UFC 317. Initial concern around the damage made his timeline unclear, but the injury was later reported to be less serious than feared, opening the door to a title rematch sooner than many expected.

Joshua Van vs Alexandre Pantoja 2 targeted for UFC 331

According to reporting first circulated by MMA content creator Kevin K on X, the UFC is looking at Van and Pantoja for UFC 331. That is a bold piece of matchmaking if it gets over the line: not a soft reset for a returning former champion, not a prospect showcase for the new belt-holder, but an immediate argument over whether the first fight told the full truth.

Van’s case is no longer built only on taking the title from an injured opponent. His win over Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328 was framed in the source material as a chaotic standout in the calendar year, and it pushed his name into a different tier while Pantoja was healing. Momentum matters in flyweight because the margins are thin and the pace punishes hesitation; Van has been competing in the spotlight while Pantoja has been stuck waiting for his body to cooperate.

Why Pantoja’s return carries more than nostalgia

Pantoja was on an eight-fight winning streak before the Van loss, a run that included beating Brandon Moreno by split decision at UFC 290 to claim the flyweight championship. He then defended against Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg, Kai Asakura and Kai Kara-France, which is not the résumé of a man being gifted a farewell favor. If the rematch is booked, it is because the former champion still has a legitimate claim to the front of the line.

• Van vs. Pantoja 2 is reportedly in play for UFC 331 on September 19.
• The UFC has not officially confirmed the fight or named a UFC 331 main event.
• Pantoja lost the flyweight title to Van at UFC 317 after an early arm injury.
• UFC 331 also lists Curtis Blaydes vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Marlon Vera vs. Charles Jourdain.

UFC 331 flyweight title rematch could reset the division

The stakes are clean, which is rare in a division that often needs a whiteboard to explain its title path. Van can remove the asterisk hanging around the first Pantoja fight and turn a chaotic rise into a proper championship reign. Pantoja can reclaim the belt he never really had the chance to defend against Van at full strength, while the rest of the contenders learn whether they are chasing a new era or circling back to the old king.

The next step is official confirmation from the UFC, because reported plans can wobble before contracts and bout announcements catch up. If Van-Pantoja 2 lands as the main event, UFC 331 instantly becomes a flyweight centerpiece rather than a numbered card waiting for identity. If it does not, the promotion still has to decide how long it can keep Pantoja parked without muddying the title picture he helped build.

For now, the flyweight division has a report, a sensible matchup and a familiar former champion pushing back toward the belt. UFC 331 currently includes Curtis Blaydes vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Marlon Vera vs. Charles Jourdain.