Joshua Van Suffered Significant Injury a Month Before UFC 331

Pulse Sports Team 18:15 - 21 September 2026

Joshua Van had to fight tooth and nail to defeat Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331, and his journey to the octagon proved equally challenging.

In the main event in Los Angeles, the flyweight champion emerged victorious after a thrilling five-round battle with Pantoja, solidifying his status as one of the UFC's rising stars. Van initially claimed the title when their first bout ended due to an unexpected injury to Pantoja early in the fight, and he has now successfully defended it for a second time, following victories over Pantoja and Tatsuro Taira.

During the post-fight press conference, Van revealed he sustained a significant injury just over a month before his rematch with Pantoja.

"Going into this fight, after the press conference in Philly, I tore the acromioclavicular joint in my right shoulder and couldn't even spar," Van explained. "So, the last two weeks were my first sparring, and during this camp, we did nothing but cardio, just running and stuff like that. I need to go back and get an MRI and check-ups, so I hope it's nothing serious."

The schedule for Van's next title defense remains unclear, as does his opponent, although top contender Manel Kape is the obvious frontrunner. When asked if he expected to fight Kape, Van responded that he was open to whatever the organizers proposed.

The 24-year-old champion also received a mental boost earlier on Saturday when he watched Michael Asuel secure a decision victory over Ju Sang Yu. Van and Asuel had trained together for UFC 331, both battling injuries on their way to a successful night.

"Man, having Asuel in the same camp was a huge motivator for me," Van stated. "Like I said, I was just coming back from my injury for the first sparring session, and he injured his damn rib, and we were like, 'Screw it, we're not giving up.' So we both went into this fight injured, and damn, we managed to pull it off."

Although Van was still processing his emotions after the epic clash with Pantoja, one word came to mind when asked for his initial thoughts on the win.

"I'm in pain," Van admitted. "No, man, like I said, Pantoja is a great fighter. In my eyes, he's one of the greatest of all time. I'm grateful to have fought him for five rounds like that."