UFC 323 – Alexandre Pantoja vs Joshua Van Predictions, Betting Odds And Best Bets

Alexandre Pantoja vs Joshua Van is a wonderful flyweight matchup. It features championship grappling mastery against youthful striking aggression in a title fight. Pantoja is looking to cement his legacy as the greatest flyweight while Van is looking to prove his dominance. They will clash at the co-main event of UFC 323 on December 6th.

Pantoja stands 5’5″ with a 67 inch reach and a 30-5 record. He showcases aggressive striking at 4.36 per minute with solid 50% accuracy while absorbing 3.88. His striking defense sits at 49% and his grappling presents elite threats with 2.80 takedowns per fight at 47% accuracy and 1.0 submission attempts. He has a respectable 69% takedown defense that keeps scrambles competitive when opponents shoot.

Van measures 5’5″ with a 65 inch reach and 15-2 record. He showcases explosive striking at an astronomical 8.86 per minute with excellent 56% accuracy while absorbing heavy 6.36. His striking defense registers at 57% and his grappling shows minimal threat with 0.85 takedowns per fight at 63% accuracy and 0.0 submission attempts. He has a strong 81% takedown defense that presents challenges against wrestling-heavy opponents.

Alexandre Pantoja vs Joshua Van Predictions And Picks

This championship fight breaks down to whether Pantoja’s world-class grappling and championship experience can overwhelm Van’s explosive striking volume and youthful aggression. Pantoja holds clear advantages in elite-level experience, having cleaned out viable threats in the flyweight division since 2020. He has competed against the division’s elite for over a decade, developing world-class BJJ, wrestling, and Muay Thai skills through championship-caliber opposition.

Van’s natural fighting ability and aggressive mentality has produced an impressive 7-1 UFC record in just 30 months. His explosive strikes per minute at accuracy creates overwhelming volume that buried lesser competition. However, his sole UFC loss via knockout to Charles Johnson exposed vulnerabilities against patient, technical opponents who weather early storms. Van possesses no decorated grappling credentials in Judo, BJJ, or wrestling, making him dangerously one-dimensional against elite grapplers.

If we bet on this fight, we are going with Alexandre Pantoja to win via submission.

Alexandre Pantoja vs Joshua Van MMA Betting Odds

According to FanDuel, Alexandre Pantoja enters as a solid favorite at -265. Meanwhile, Joshua Van comes in as the +200 underdog. These odds reflect confidence in Pantoja’s championship pedigree, elite grappling, and experience advantages overcoming Van’s explosive striking and youthful energy.

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The odds for the fight going the distance stand at +142. The odds favor an early finish at -182, reflecting Pantoja’s submission threats and Van’s grappling inexperience creating finishing opportunities before championship rounds.

Alexandre Pantoja vs Joshua Van Best Bets

Here are the best bets for Alexandre Pantoja vs Joshua Van fight:

Pantoja By Submission (+145)

Excellent value on the black belt’s most dangerous weapon. Van’s complete lack of submission attempts (0.0) and absence of decorated grappling credentials create perfect finishing conditions.

Pantoja To Win By Submission In Rounds 1, 2 Or 3 (+220)

Premium odds for championship-caliber grappling against inexperienced opposition. Van’s aggressive striking early creates takedown opportunities as he overextends. Pantoja’s elite BJJ ensures submission finish once fight hits the ground. The young challenger has never faced this level of grappling threat.

Fight Does Not Go The Distance (-182)

Solid bet at reasonable odds. Pantoja’s finishing ability against Van’s grappling inexperience makes early stoppage likely. The massive skill gap on the ground and Van’s aggressive style that leaves defensive openings virtually guarantee this doesn’t reach championship rounds.

(All odds taken from FanDuel. Bet on the most up-to-date MMA odds, lines, and spreads with FanDuel Sportsbook)

(Image Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie – Imagn Images)

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!