Every Flyweight Title Fight to Main Event a Numbered UFC Card Before Alexandre Pantoja vs. Joshua Van 2 

Since the UFC created the 125-pound flyweight division in 2012, its championship fights have occupied a unique and often disputed spot on promotional fight cards. Despite producing some of the most dynamic and record-breaking martial artists in combat sports history, the flyweight division’s titles have anchored the marquee main event spot on a numbered card exactly 8 times.

Due to early promotional narratives about the weight class’s pay-per-view drawing power, UFC management frequently used flyweight title bouts to main event broadcast television cards (UFC on FOX, ESPN+ Fight Nights) or stacked them as co-main events underneath heavier weight classes on PPV.

Below is the historical breakdown of those 8 specific instances and the upcoming 9th where a men’s flyweight title fight main evented a UFC numbered card, complete with key stats, fight milestones, and context.

1. UFC 174: Johnson vs. Bagautinov (June 14, 2014)

• Matchup: Demetrious Johnson (c) vs. Ali Bagautinov
• Result: Demetrious Johnson def. Ali Bagautinov via Unanimous Decision (50–45, 50–45, 50–45).
• Context & Stats: The first time the men’s flyweight belt officially headlined a Pay-Per-View card. Held at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, “Mighty Mouse” put on a clinic, controlling the clinch and outstriking Bagautinov 133 to 53 in total strikes across 5 rounds to secure his fourth consecutive title defense.

2. UFC 178: Johnson vs. Cariaso (Sept 27, 2014)

• Matchup: Demetrious Johnson (c) vs. Chris Cariaso
• Result: Demetrious Johnson def. Chris Cariaso via Submission (Kimura) at 2:29 of Round 2.

• Context & Stats: Initially scheduled to be headlined by Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier for the 205lbs gold, an injury to Jones elevated Johnson’s fifth title defense into the headline slot at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Johnson executed a pristine masterclass, outstriking Cariaso 51 to 13 in total strikes and securing a rare kimura finish from side control.

3. UFC 186: Johnson vs. Horiguchi (April 25, 2015)

• Matchup: Demetrious Johnson (c) vs. Kyoji Horiguchi
• Result: Demetrious Johnson def. Kyoji Horiguchi via Submission (Armbar) at 4:59 of Round 5.

• Context & Stats: Promoted to the main event after a bantamweight title rematch between TJ Dillashaw and Renan Barão fell through. Johnson dominated Japanese prospect Kyoji Horiguchi with 14 takedowns before making UFC history: at 24 minutes and 59 seconds, Johnson secured an armbar with just one second remaining in the fight, making it the latest finish in UFC championship history (tied with Yair Rodriguez vs. Chan Sung Jung).

4. UFC 191: Johnson vs. Dodson 2 (Sept 5, 2015)

• Matchup: Demetrious Johnson (c) vs. John Dodson
• Result: Demetrious Johnson def. John Dodson via Unanimous Decision (49–46, 49–46, 50–45).

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Lionel Rivera-Ramirez (@lionelrivera_mma)

• Context & Stats: Following their razor-thin 2013 encounter, this rematch earned top billing on PPV. Over 25 minutes, Johnson thoroughly negated Dodson’s knockout power using tactical clinch work and high-volume pacing, outstriking Dodson 172 to 67 overall to retain his belt for the seventh consecutive time.

5. UFC 255: Figueiredo vs. Perez (Nov 21, 2020)

• Matchup: Deiveson Figueiredo (c) vs. Alex Perez
• Result: Deiveson Figueiredo def. Alex Perez via Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 1:57 of Round 1.

• Context & Stats: Marking a new, action-oriented era for 125-pounders, Deiveson “Deus da Guerra” Figueiredo anchored UFC 255 at the UFC Apex. After Perez initiated a scramble off a caught kick, Figueiredo swiftly locked in a tight standing-to-ground guillotine choke, securing the third-fastest submission finish in flyweight title history.

6. UFC 256: Figueiredo vs. Moreno 1 (Dec 12, 2020)

• Matchup: Deiveson Figueiredo (c) vs. Brandon Moreno
• Result: Majority Draw (48–46, 47–47, 47–47) — Figueiredo retains title.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by UFC Europe (@ufceurope)

• Context & Stats: Just 21 days after their respective victories at UFC 255, both Figueiredo and Moreno stepped up to save UFC 256’s main event on short notice, setting the UFC record for the fastest turnaround between title fights. The 5-round, 25-minute war saw the two combined for 269 significant strikes landed. Despite a point deduction against Figueiredo for a low blow in Round 3, the resulting majority draw kicked off the first four-fight rivalry series in UFC history.

7. UFC 301: Pantoja vs. Erceg (May 4, 2024)

• Matchup: Alexandre Pantoja (c) vs. Steve Erceg
• Result: Alexandre Pantoja def. Steve Erceg via Unanimous Decision (48–47, 48–47, 49–46).

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by UFC India (@ufcindia)

• Context & Stats: Headlining in his home country of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Alexandre “The Cannibal” Pantoja made his second title defense against Australian challenger Steve Erceg. Pantoja relied heavily on his grappling, completing 9 takedowns to edge out a close 5-round decision on the judges’ scorecards.

8. UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura (Dec 7, 2024)

• Matchup: Alexandre Pantoja (c) vs. Kai Asakura
• Result: Alexandre Pantoja def. Kai Asakura via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:03 of Round 2.

• Context & Stats: Serving as the final Pay-Per-View main event of 2024 at the T-Mobile Arena, Pantoja welcomed former RIZIN champion Kai Asakura to the UFC. After weathering initial high-level striking exchanges, Pantoja executed a takedown, gained back control, and secured a rear-naked choke to log another finish for the 125-pound main event record books.

9. UFC 331: Van vs. Pantoja 2 (Sept 19, 2026)

• Matchup: Joshua Van (c) vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2
• Context & Stats: Set for the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, this rematch marks the 9th time in UFC history that a men’s flyweight championship bout headlines a numbered event. Current champion Joshua Van defends his 125-pound throne against former champion Alexandre Pantoja. Their initial clash at UFC 323 (December 2025) ended in an anticlimactic 26-second TKO victory for Van after Pantoja suffered a sudden arm injury during an early exchange.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Knockout Collective (@theknockoutcollective)

• Following Van’s successful title defense against Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328 in May 2026, this highly anticipated rematch gives Pantoja a chance at redemption and offers Van an opportunity to solidify his reign as the undisputed king of the division.

MORE MMA NEWS:

• Anthony Hernandez Accuses Gregory Rodrigues of Cheating During Epic UFC Sacramento Showdown

• Islam Makhachev’s Desperate Efforts to Reset Magomed Magomedov’s Shoulder End in Failure at PFL Tampa

• Cris Cyborg Reaches 30 Wins at PFL Tampa, Keeps Retirement Plans Unclear

Kshitiz Kumar Singh

Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.