Van Reveals Injury That Derailed UFC 331 Camp

UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van tore his right shoulder weeks before defending his title against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331, forcing him to abandon sparring and rely on cardio work alone through most of camp.

Van disclosed the injury at the post-fight press conference Saturday night after beating Pantoja on the scorecards in Los Angeles. He hurt the shoulder in mid-August following promotional duties in Philadelphia, per MMA Mania, and spent the final stretch of preparation running instead of drilling technique.

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Van Could Not Spar Until Final Two Weeks

"Coming into this fight, after the press conference in Philly, I tore my AC joint in my right shoulder and I couldn't even spar," Van said. "So, the last two weeks was my first time sparring. This camp we did nothing but cardio, just running and stuff like that."

The 24-year-old champion looked sharp through all five rounds despite the compromised camp. He stayed fresh against Pantoja's pace and kept his striking crisp late when the former champion blitzed forward. One judge scored the bout 50-45 for Van in his second title defense.

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Van said he will undergo MRIs to assess the acromioclavicular joint damage but did not sound concerned about a long layoff. He fought four times in 2025 and twice this year. Asked about his timeline, he told reporters he loves fighting too much to stay on the sidelines long.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Joshua Van reveals injury leading into UFC 331: ‘I couldn’t even spar’