UFC 327: Pantoja Says Van Must Prove He's the Real Champ

The Brazilian fighter believes his former opponent has more to prove in his title defense against Tatsuro Taira.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 10:50pm

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Alexandre Pantoja, who lost the UFC flyweight title to Joshua Van in December, believes Van has yet to prove he is the real champion. Pantoja was initially slated for an immediate rematch, but was not ready in time for the April 11 UFC 327 event in Miami, where Van will defend his title against Tatsuro Taira. Pantoja feels this is Van's chance to show he is a worthy champion, as their previous fight ended abruptly due to Pantoja's dislocated elbow.

Why it matters

The UFC flyweight division has seen a lot of turnover at the top, and Pantoja's comments highlight the uncertainty around Van's legitimacy as champion. A convincing win over Taira could help solidify Van's status, while a poor performance may raise more questions about whether he is the true champion.

The details

Pantoja (30-6 MMA, 14-4 UFC) lost the flyweight title to Van (16-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) at UFC 323 in December when their fight was stopped just 26 seconds in due to Pantoja dislocating his left elbow. The plan was for an immediate rematch, but Pantoja initially told the UFC he wouldn't be ready until June. With the promotion going a different direction, Van will now defend his title against Taira (12-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in the UFC 327 co-main event on April 11 in Miami.

  • Pantoja lost the title to Van at UFC 323 in December 2025.
  • Pantoja initially told the UFC he wouldn't be ready to fight again until June 2026.
  • UFC 327 will take place on April 11, 2026 in Miami, Florida.

The players

Alexandre Pantoja

A Brazilian fighter with a 30-6 MMA record and 14-4 UFC record, who previously held the UFC flyweight title before losing it to Joshua Van.

Joshua Van

The current UFC flyweight champion, who won the title from Pantoja at UFC 323 in December 2025.

Tatsuro Taira

A 12-1 MMA fighter with a 3-0 UFC record, who will challenge Joshua Van for the UFC flyweight title at UFC 327.

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What they’re saying

“I think for that fight, it's the real chance for Joshua Van to prove he's the champion of the world. That's the real fight for the belt because with me, he didn't have a fight.”

— Alexandre Pantoja, UFC Flyweight Fighter

“I'm not judging because that's the dream for everybody. It was in his destiny to have this belt, and now everybody has the opportunity to see if Joshua Van is the real champion of the world or if he just (won) a ticket from Willy Wonka. F*ck, man, that kid is very lucky.”

— Alexandre Pantoja, UFC Flyweight Fighter

What’s next

If Pantoja is ready, the UFC could look to book a rematch between him and the winner of the Van vs. Taira title fight later in 2026.

The takeaway

The UFC flyweight division remains in flux, with Pantoja questioning whether Van has truly proven himself as the champion. Van's performance against Taira will be closely watched to see if he can solidify his status atop the 125-pound weight class.