Former training partner sees UFC's 'political move' and bets on Pantoja's easy victory over Joshua Van

Alexandre Pantoja celebrates his fourth defense of the UFC flyweight belt. Photo: Reproduction X/UFC

The flyweight (up to 70,3kg) title may soon have its next chapter defined, and a former training partner of champion Alexandre Pantoja has strong opinions about the current state of the division. Former UFC fighter and Rizin standout, José Torres, analyzed the potential matchup between the Brazilian and Joshua Van, which has been gaining momentum behind the scenes after UFC 317.

During an appearance on the 'Bowks Talking Bouts' podcast, the former Ultimate fighter recalled his history with Pantoja, with whom he has shared training sessions, and believes that the duel between the Brazilian and Joshua Van represents another move by the organization to renew faces in the category.

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"I don't know if Van technically deserves a title shot, even though he beat the number one ranked fighter. But it shows how desperate the UFC is for new faces and competition (...). Pantoja is a phenomenal athlete. I believe he can beat Van, but I don't think anything big will happen right away. Maybe they'll bring in another champion from outside or some big name to debut directly in a title shot," Torres said.

According to Torres, the UFC has shown a rush to find impactful names with potential international narratives. He cited the case of Japanese fighter Kai Asakura, who debuted directly against the champion in the UFC's attempt to expand its reach in the Asian market.

"The UFC has its own agenda. They want to expand into Japan, perhaps open another PI (Performance Institute) like they did in China. That's why they're forcing certain marriages," he commented.

Joshua Van made it 'fight of the year' to face Alexandre Pantoja

Joshua Van defeated Brandon Royval during 'International Fight Week' at UFC 317, the same card where Pantoja retained his title by defeating Kai Kara-France. The fight was one of the best of the year, putting the young talent on the radar of the division's top contenders.

He had also taken on the responsibility of facing the American with about a week of preparation and still won. The two fighters faced off in the octagon.