Joshua Van Reveals Torn Shoulder Before UFC 331 Title Defense

Joshua Van made his second title defense look comfortable at UFC 331, outpointing Alexandre Pantoja across five rounds in Los Angeles. Turns out he did it on one good shoulder.

Van revealed after the fight that he tore the AC joint in his right shoulder roughly a month before the bout, gutting his preparation at the worst possible time. "I couldn't even spar," Van said. "The last two weeks was my first time sparring. This camp we did nothing but cardio."

The 24-year-old from Myanmar had faced serious questions about whether he could handle Pantoja's relentless pace and grappling a second time. Instead he answered them on a training camp held together with tape and treadmill sessions, winning a clear unanimous decision to retain his 125-pound belt.

The injury context reframes an already impressive performance. Van controlled distance, stayed off the mat for long stretches, and never looked gassed despite the compromised preparation. Whatever cardio-only camp looks like, it worked.

No timeline has been given for the shoulder's recovery, and Van has not indicated whether surgery is needed. The flyweight division will have to wait, but after two straight defenses against the division's most dangerous challenger, no one is questioning the champ's legitimacy.