Alexandre Pantoja’s Coach Reveals UFC Wants “Immediate Rematch” With Joshua Van If Recovery Timeline Is “Reasonable” For UFC 323 Freak Injury
Alexandre Pantoja may find himself back in a UFC flyweight title fight if doctors clear him for an earlier return. Last weekend, “The Cannibal” put his title on the line against Joshua Van in the UFC 323 co-main event.
However, what had the potential to become a record-setting fifth defense of the 125-pound title quickly unraveled when Pantoja suffered a gruesome injury that ended the contest almost as soon as it started. The moment occurred as Van caught his leg on a head kick attempt, causing the Brazilian to crash to the canvas and land in a way that severely compromised his left arm.
Initially thought to be a shoulder mishap, the injury proved far more serious upon replay. Pantoja’s left elbow visibly twisted out of alignment, his arm bending at a disturbing angle. He remained seated on the canvas in obvious pain and immediately indicated he was unable to continue, leading the referee to stop the bout just 26 seconds in.
With Alexandre Pantoja’s team now confirming that it was his elbow, not his shoulder, that was damaged, optimism around his recovery timeline has grown. If the doctors clear him sooner than anticipated, he could quickly return to the title picture and may rematch Van.
Alexandre Pantoja’s Coach Says UFC Wants Immediate Joshua Van Rematch If Medical Clearance Comes Through
During a recent interview with MMAFighting.com, Alexandre Pantoja’s head coach Marcos Parrumpa gave his perspective on the UFC 323 injury and the aftermath. The American Top Team mentor explained that the UFC initially believed “The Cannibal” would be sidelined for a long stretch due to the severity of the damage. But after further evaluation, discussions with the promotion have shifted.
According to Parrumpa, if the former flyweight champion is medically cleared within an acceptable timeframe, the UFC wants to move forward with an immediate title rematch against Joshua Van.
“They want to do an immediate rematch, but everything will depend on how long Pantoja will be sidelined,” Parrumpa said. “If it’s a reasonable amount of time, we’ll go for the immediate rematch. If it’s longer, the division really can’t stay stalled. We understand that. But what we want is, no matter how long Pantoja is out, we want him to come back already fighting for the belt.”
Before this setback, Pantoja had been riding an impressive eight-fight winning streak that featured four successful title defenses over high-level contenders such as Kai Kara France, Kai Asakura, Steve Erceg, and Brandon Royval. He now carries a strong UFC resume with a record of 14-4.
