Joshua Van Claims Flyweight Title After Alexandre Pantoja's Gruesome Injury at UFC 323
At UFC 323, a highly anticipated flyweight championship fight ended in the most unexpected and gruesome way imaginable. The co-main event, which was supposed to showcase the battle between reigning champion Alexandre Pantoja and challenger Joshua Van, lasted a mere 26 seconds, but the outcome was anything but conventional.
Pantoja, who was defending his flyweight title for the fifth time, suffered a dislocated shoulder early in the fight. Just 10 seconds into the bout, Pantoja attempted a head kick, but Van swiftly caught his leg. As Pantoja fell to the mat, he landed awkwardly on his left arm, causing the injury. What was initially diagnosed as a dislocated shoulder turned out to be much worse. A video replay showed that Pantoja's left elbow appeared to pop out of joint, and his arm bent in an unnatural way.
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In an agonizing moment, Pantoja was seen seated on the Octagon floor, unable to continue, and the referee was forced to stop the fight. The medical team quickly rushed to his side as he showed clear signs of distress. It was later revealed by UFC’s chief medical physician Dr. Jeff Davidson that Pantoja’s shoulder was dislocated but had spontaneously relocated. Despite the injury, Pantoja remained resilient, posting a message on Instagram saying, "I’ve been through worse... I’ll come back even stronger."
As a result of the unfortunate turn of events, Joshua Van became the new flyweight champion at just 24 years old, making him the second youngest champion in UFC history. The only fighter younger than Van to claim a title was Jon Jones, who won the light heavyweight belt at the age of 23. While Van celebrated his victory in the Octagon, Pantoja was quickly escorted for medical treatment.
UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that the injury would likely delay any immediate rematch between the two fighters. "I don’t see him coming back anytime soon," White stated, further casting doubt on when Pantoja might return to the Octagon.
Pantoja’s injury was a tragic turn for a fighter who has been a dominant force in the flyweight division, but fans and fighters alike are hopeful that he will recover fully. Meanwhile, the focus now shifts to Joshua Van, who has etched his name into UFC history in the most unexpected of ways.
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