Overview
- The rematch is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 19, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and the full card will stream on Paramount+.
- Their first fight ended in roughly 26 seconds when Pantoja dislocated his arm and Van was awarded the title; Van later defended the belt in May against Tatsuro Taira.
- The promotional buildup has grown personal and heated, including a press‑conference faceoff in which Pantoja rose from his seat and UFC president Dana White stepped in.
- Both camps have publicly predicted finishes with Van saying he will stop Pantoja inside three rounds and Pantoja’s coach Anderson Franca forecasting a fourth‑round win, and sportsbooks list Van as a slight favorite (about -130).
- The co‑main event pits Arman Tsarukyan against Mauricio Ruffy in a five‑round lightweight bout widely viewed as a potential title eliminator and the card has seen late undercard changes such as the removal of an Ortega rematch.