The rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja has some real heat behind it.
MMA
Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja have to be separated at UFC 331 press conference: ‘When someone talks, you shut your f*cking mouth’
Published
3 weeks agoon
In December, Van took the UFC flyweight title from Pantoja, winning just moments into the fight when Pantoja dislocated his elbow while falling to the ground. Since then, Pantoja has been healing up from his injury, while Van defended his title with a fifth-round stoppage victory over Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328 in May. Now, the two are set to run things back at UFC 331 next month, and at the opening press conference for the event on Friday, things got testy between the two.
“Had that not happened, I would have still whooped his ass that day,†Van said when asked about the injury that awarded him the title. “So September 19, it's just another opportunity for me to whoop his ass again.â€
“I think he needs to wash his mouth,†Pantoja replied. “I respect where I'm from. I'm from Brazil. In Brazil, you need to take care about what you talk. If not, maybe you lose your teeth.â€
Things only heated up from there as Van interrupted Pantoja while he was giving a long answer about what this fight means to him and his history in the division.
“Bro, talk about the fight on September 19,†Van said. “We're not here for your story, bro. We're here for the fight.
“Hey kid, when someone talks, you shut your f*cking mouth,†Pantoja responded. “You understand that?â€
“Shut up. What you gonna do about it?â€
In response to this, Pantoja stood up and started to walk across the dais toward Van, before security intervened to sit him back down, with Van mocking him the whole time.
“You ain't doing shit,†Van said. “Sit your ass down. Sit your ass down; you ain't doing shit. Somebody get him some milk.â€
“Hey kid, September 19, you're gonna be locked in the octagon with me,†Pantoja replied.
This is a new look from Van, who seemed to enjoy needling Pantoja and trying to rile him up. But for the former flyweight champion, this just looked like Van pretending to be something he's not.
“Nothing about Joshua surprises me,†Pantoja said. “He tries to make this character, tries to be the tough guy, but what I see, he's just a fraidy cat. He's afraid.â€
“I ain't afraid of shit,†Van responded.
“Oh, I'm so tough,†Pantoja mocked.
“My name is Fearless,†Van said. “I ain't scared of you.â€
The two then had their first faceoff for this fight, where things remained fiery, with both men jawing at each other and Dana White having to keep them apart.
UFC 331 takes place on Sep. 19 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
You may like
MMA
Fares Ziam plans to shift to the U.S. to train with Justin Gaethje’s team
Published
23 minutes agoon
September 4, 2026
Ziam plans to move to the United States to develop his
game.
Ziam is scheduled to fight fellow Frenchman Alex Sola in the
co-main event of the
Ultimate Fighting Championship's event in France on Sept. 5. He
did most of his camp in Denver under Justin
Gaethje's head coach, Trevor Wittman, and eventually wants to
move stateside.
Fares Ziam plans to move his family to Denver to develop his
UFC career
Ziam says that while he didn't previously have a head coach, he
believes he needs one at the highest level. He eventually plans to
move with his family to Denver to train under Wittman, whom he
considers the best head coach for himself.
“My plan is to move with my family to the U.S. to be in Denver,â€
Ziam told MMA Junkie. “Two to three years in Denver and forget. For
me, it's important to evolve in this game, to be focused. Before, I
didn't get any head coach; I had a team around me. But at this
level, we need a head coach, a guy who is looking out for you. For
me, Trevor is the best for me.â€
Ziam first met Wittman while helping Gaethje as a sparring partner
for his win over Paddy
Pimblett earlier this year. When he asked their common manager,
Ali Abdelaziz, about training with Gaethje, Abdelaziz said that
Wittman doesn't accept everybody. However, Wittman accepted Ziam as
he liked what he saw during Gaethje's camp for the Pimblett
fight.
“I asked my manager, Ali, ‘What do you think if I go train with
Justin?' He said, ‘It's a very good idea, but Trevor doesn't take
just anyone,'†Ziam added. “But after me and him had a good
feeling, he said I am a good person. Because he saw something in
me, he took me in this gym.â€
Ziam looks to return to winning ways at
UFC Paris.
Fares Ziam
explains how training under Trevor Wittman came together, what he's
learned, and what it's been like training with Justin
Gaethje 👊 (via @Farah_Hannoun)
pic.twitter.com/L7cRJoCAJx— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie)
September 3, 2026
MMA
Movsar Evloev takes aim at women’s MMA: ‘It’s so hard’ to watch
Published
2 hours agoon
September 4, 2026
Evloev is unimpressed with women's mixed martial arts.
Evloev recently revealed that he finds it hard to watch women's
MMA. The
Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight claims to have
only ever enjoyed one women's MMA bout and is curious about the
viewership numbers an all-women promotion would garner.
UFC 333 title challenger Movsar Evloev questions the appeal of
women's MMA
Evloev was impressed with Rose
Namajunas' title defense against Joanna
Jedrzejczyk in their rematch at UFC
223 in 2018. However, every other bout is a challenging viewing
experience, according to the unbeaten Russian. He jokes that the
UFC should start a separate league for women's MMA and check its
viewership.
“I don't watch women's fights,†Evloev told MMA Junkie. “I can't
watch; it's so hard. One fight I watched and liked was [Joanna]
Jedrzejczyk and [Rose] Namajunas, the second one… I don't watch a
lot of fights, but all the fights I watched of women weren't good.
Maybe they need a separate UFC just for women. And we will see who
watches that.â€
Many elite male fighters have criticized women's MMA over the
years. Khabib
Nurmagomedov has said that women don't belong in the brutal
sport, barring some exceptional few like the legendary Amanda
Nunes and Valentina
Shevchenko. Meanwhile, Sean
Strickland, who doesn't like women's sports in general,
believes an average man can beat Nunes.
Evloev (20-0) has finally earned his long-overdue featherweight
title shot against Alexander
Volkanovski (28-4). He challenges Volkanovski for the title at
UFC 333 on Oct. 24 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
While Evloev criticizes women's MMA because of inaction, he has
also drawn backlash for the lack of a finish in his UFC career.
MMA
How to watch UFC Paris: Start time, live stream & fight card
Published
5 hours agoon
September 4, 2026
Fares Ziam plans to shift to the U.S. to train with Justin Gaethje’s team
Movsar Evloev takes aim at women’s MMA: ‘It’s so hard’ to watch
Ryan Garcia Reveals Undefeated Legend Assisting Conor Benn in Fight Preparation
Trending
-
MMA2 days agoJustin Gaethje would rather fight Conor McGregor than avenge losses to Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira: "Fun to shut him up"
-
MMA2 days agoKhamzat Chimaev set to run it back at RAF 13 with former UFC rival who nearly beat him
-
MMA2 days agoDan Hooker details why he's fine being viewed as a gatekeeper going into UFC Paris: 'Can change in one single night'
-
MMA2 days agoStamp Fairtex faces title-picture stakes against Selina Flores at ONE Fight Night 47
-
MMA2 days agoGable Steveson's UFC 331 opponent blasts 'rapist' in social media tirade
-
MMA2 days agoMarlon Vera opens up on mental health issues amidst four-fight UFC skid
-
MMA1 day agoFirst UFC 334 fight revealed for Madison Square Garden card
-
MMA1 day agoMarlon Vera made difficult change to avoid one regret at end of UFC career


