Pantoja skips the trash talk and fixes his sights on reclaiming the UFC flyweight title from Van

Alexandre Pantoja is done playing the promotion game. The former UFC flyweight champion will challenge Joshua Van for the title at UFC 331 on 19 September at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, and he has made it plain he intends to let his fists do the talking.

Pantoja (30-6) lost the flyweight belt to Van (17-2) in their first meeting and is now focused exclusively on winning it back, with no appetite for the media circus that typically surrounds a high-profile rematch.

“Now it’s gonna be a little bit different than last time,” Pantoja told Full Send MMA. “I don’t try to sell this fight anymore; I’m here to fight. I’m in fight week and I’m not here for the press conference; I’m here for Saturday night. Doesn’t matter what he talks about. I know people love the press conference and all that, but I gave you a good show last time. My mind is only focused on Saturday.”

The tone heading into their first encounter was notably civil, but the dynamic shifted after a press conference following the rematch announcement saw Van direct pointed remarks at Pantoja. The Brazilian did not take kindly to the change in approach, though he appears determined not to let it become a distraction in fight week.

Pantoja’s stripped-back mindset reflects a fighter who believes the work has been done in the gym and that nothing said at a podium will influence what happens inside the octagon. Whether that single-minded focus translates into a title recapture will be answered when the two flyweights meet on 19 September in Los Angeles.