At a Glance
- Alexandre Pantoja says he is fully recovered from the serious arm injury suffered against Joshua Van at UFC 323, where the fight was stopped after just 26 seconds.
- The former UFC flyweight champion is now calling for a rematch for the title against Van.
- Since then, Van has defended his belt by fifth-round stoppage against Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328.
- Pantoja acknowledges the loss on paper, but says he does not consider himself beaten by Van “as a man.”
Alexandre Pantoja‘s reign over the UFC flyweight division ended in the most abrupt way possible. Against Joshua Van at UFC 323, the Brazilian was caught with a kick before being tipped backward; trying to break his fall with his arm, Pantoja suffered a serious elbow injury. The referee stopped the fight after just 26 seconds, handing Van the flyweight belt and leaving “The Cannibal” visibly in severe pain, his arm tucked against his body.
Nearly eight months later, Pantoja says he has turned the page physically. “I’m ready,” he told MMA Fighting. “After what happened to my arm in December, two days later, I was back in the gym, I started training with one arm. That’s who I am. I’m not done. I’m not done. I still have so much to accomplish, so much to prove. I want the belt back. I want to be UFC champion again.”
“I have a score to settle” with the champion
While Pantoja accepts the sporting verdict of his loss, he refuses to draw a conclusion from it about the pecking order between the two men. “Of course, I have a score to settle with Joshua Van. As an athlete, I know I lost the fight. It happened. But as a man, I don’t think he beat me. I’m still here. I’m ready to fight. I’m in incredible shape. Let’s see what happens next,” he added, in a statement that speaks volumes about his determination to get his rematch.
The Brazilian, long seen as one of the division’s most dominant champions, had defended his belt multiple times before that loss. A result as sudden as it was unexpected, one that left the flyweight division without a clear answer on the real pecking order between the two men.
Van, a champion who got stronger in his absence
While Pantoja recovered, Joshua Van also set out to prove his title was legitimate. The Burmese fighter defended his belt with a fifth-round stoppage of Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328, confirming his champion status while also beating one of the division’s toughest contenders along the way. Pantoja did not hold back his praise for that performance either: “Flyweight has never been this interesting. I think what happened to me last year made the division even more explosive. Today, I have the opportunity to take back the top spot and beat everyone again.”
A way for the former champion to acknowledge the division’s rise without giving up on his own ambitions. It remains to be seen whether the UFC will grant this rematch request, in a division where the competition has only gotten deeper since Pantoja’s forced departure from the top.
Key Takeaway
Recovered from his arm injury, Alexandre Pantoja says he is ready to face Joshua Van again for the flyweight belt. A rematch that, if it happens, would pit a former champion out for revenge against a titleholder still unbeaten in his title defenses. No date or official announcement has been made by the UFC so far.
The next event’s card and start times are on our UFC tonight page. See where everyone stands in the UFC rankings.
