Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja are all set to run it back and engage in a rematch for the UFC Flyweight Championship title, nine months after their first clash ended pretty rapidly and disappointingly for fight fans.

Van won that meeting to become the champion after securing a TKO victory and will be defending the belt for the second time after beating Tatsuro Taira four months ago in his first defence.

The pair will clash on Sunday, September 20, in Los Angeles, USA, from 07:00 AEST.

Quick Picks

Our pick: Van to win

Value bet: Van to win by decision

Long shot: Fight to go the distance

Tale of the Tape

Unfortunately, the first fight didn’t really reveal too much about these two fighters when they clashed in the Octagon last year… as it ended within 26 seconds due to an arm injury which Pantoja suffered.

In the rematch, Van is likely going to try to keep the fight at boxing range, use his jab and higher-volume combinations to disrupt Pantoja’s entries, and look to build momentum over the full five rounds.

Pantoja’s priority, meanwhile, will be to close that distance quickly through pressure, feints and clinch work, forcing Van to the fence before looking to chain takedowns, create scrambles and expose the champion’s back for submission opportunities.

How do the two compare? Van’s figures are first…

• Age - 24 vs 36
• Height - 5'5" (165cm) vs 5'5" (166cm)
• Stance - Orthodox vs Orthodox
• Record - 17-2-0 vs 30-6-0
• KO Record - 9 vs 8

Betting Preview

How have they performed in their last five fights?

Van's last five fights:

• Tatsuro Taira - Win (TKO, 5) - May 2026
• Alexandre Pantoja - Win (TKO, 1) - Dec 2025
• Brandon Royval - Win (UD, 3) - Jun 2025
• Bruno Silva - Win (TKO, 3) - Jun 2025
• Rei Tsuruya - Win (UD, 3) - Mar 2025

Pantoja’s last five fights:

• Joshua Van - Loss (TKO, 1) - Dec 2025
• Kai Kara-France - Win (Sub, 3) - Jun 2025
• Kai Asakura - Win (Sub, 2) - Dec 2024
• Steve Erceg - Win (UD, 5) - May 2024
• Brandon Royval - Win (UD, 5) - Dec 2023

Betting Markets to Watch

The latest UFC fight odds have Van as the slight favourite entering the fight.

He has been in quite the purple patch recently, having won each of his last seven UFC fights. However, the margin on the available price is not extreme, suggesting this is going to be a close fight.

So, if you are looking for value, it’s possibly going to be found in the method of victory market, especially if going against the idea of a stoppage.

‘Van by Points’ could be worth a shot, as his pace, reach advantage, striking volume and ability to accumulate clean work over five rounds make him the more reliable side if he can repeatedly reset after any grappling exchanges.

Pantoja should try to bring the fight but could be wary of his arm injury, which could lead the pair to scrap in the middle of the cage.

Our Prediction

Check the latest Van vs Pantoja 2 betting odds at Sportsbet.

Our prediction is that Van is the likely winner, with the decision market offering value.

A long shot is that the fight goes the distance; each of Pantoja's last three UFC fights has failed to go the distance, as have Van’s two Championship contests. It’s risky given their fight profiles, but it could have a good chance of playing out in America.