Coach Conversation | Crypto.com UFC 331: Joshua Van vs Alexandre Pantoja 2

You know when you see someone and they’re throwing a jab to the body, and it feels like it’s the right move, but they’re clearly stretching, forcing? Everything with him is just the combination he’s throwing, and it happens to have a left hook to the body in the middle of it.

He’s so fast and so crisp with it that I think it can become an avalanche, and I think that’s what happened with Taira. To what you said about touches, not power, I think you’re dead-on with that and the touches just build up, and then because he’s hard to get out of there, he’s not a guy that is going to quit on himself or throw the game plan out the window, it just becomes too much.

Path to Victory

Kyte: The path to victory here feels similar to what we would have said last time out and what it’s going to be anytime you have a clash of styles like this where the winner is the one that dictates where it’s taking place.

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Chartier: Yeah. Obviously, Pantoja needs to connect his hands and get to the back, but I do think he needs to go for a finish. I don’t think he can just ride out rounds because Van has shown he can come back from some adversity and still have gas in the tank, finish you late.

I think if Pantoja does get there, don’t just try to win rounds; you’ve got to think about finishing too. If the choke isn’t there, you’ve got to find a way to look for a TKO; don’t just ride him out. You have to be pushing for a finish because this kid could be dangerous late and you don’t want to deal with that.

And for Van, push the pace, use your combos, use your boxing, counter-wrestle, but keep the pace up; think about cardio as a weapon in this fight.