Houston's Joshua Van having fun, vows to 'whoop' Alexandre Pantoja in UFC 331 flyweight title fight
Joshua Van talks trash with his buddies, but he's been respectful to his opponents in the UFC. However, Saturday's rematch with Alexandre Pantoja has allowed the Houston fighter to be himself.
Houston's Joshua Van, the UFC flyweight champion, is poised to face Brazilian challenger Alexandre Pantoja in the main event of UFC 331 on Saturday at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The two fighters, who met in December 2023 when Van won the title from Pantoja following a dislocated elbow, have had a cordial relationship leading up to the rematch.
Van, born in Myanmar and living in Houston since he was 12, is known for his easygoing demeanor and willingness to engage with the media. However, Pantoja's comments during a recent press conference and his taunting of Van have caused Van to lose his temper. In response, Van has vowed to "whoop" Pantoja in their upcoming rematch, emphasizing that he is only getting better and stronger with each passing fight.
While Van acknowledges that Pantoja had respect for him as the champion, he maintains that the Brazilian's comments were uncalled for and has been making him feel like the "bad guy." Van is confident that he will demonstrate his improved skills during the rematch, and he is eager to prove that he is a worthy champion who will only get better with experience.
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