Drake stakes $650,000 on Joshua Van to retain flyweight title at UFC 331

Drake has publicly backed Joshua Van with a $650,000 wager ahead of UFC 331 on Saturday, where Van defends his flyweight title in a rematch against Alexandre Pantoja. A winning result would net the rapper $448,500.

Drake posted a photo of the betting slip to social media alongside a characteristically blunt message: “I don’t know bro … but he better win.”

Van claimed the flyweight belt from Pantoja in December in unusual circumstances — Pantoja dislocated his elbow after falling to the mat when Van caught a kick just moments into the fight. The rematch gives Pantoja the chance to reclaim the title under less ambiguous conditions, while Van is looking for a more decisive victory to silence any lingering doubts about his championship credentials.

Drake’s UFC betting history has attracted significant attention in recent years. He backed Conor McGregor against Max Holloway at UFC 329, wagered on Jake Paul to defeat Anthony Joshua, and placed money on Israel Adesanya in his fight against Dricus du Plessis — a run of results that has fuelled the popular notion of a “Drake curse” among combat sports fans.

The legitimacy of the wager has also drawn scrutiny. Drake tagged Stake — a crypto gambling platform — in the post, and he holds a brand deal with the company. Critics have previously questioned whether some of his publicised gambling sessions with Stake reflect genuine personal risk or are part of a promotional arrangement. Whether this bet falls into that category remains unclear.

Regardless, the spotlight on Van has intensified heading into fight night, with the flyweight champion now carrying the weight of one of the most high-profile celebrity wagers in recent UFC history.