Dana White confirmed that Alexandre Pantoja will return to the UFC directly in a title fight. The former flyweight champion will face Joshua Van in a rematch. The date and location of the fight have not yet been defined.
The Brazilian lost the title in December 2025 after an elbow injury. The fight lasted just 26 seconds. Agora recovered, Pantoja receives the opportunity to regain the belt he defended for years.
Dana White talks about Pantoja’s return
The UFC president spoke at a press conference after UFC 328. Ele highlighted Joshua Van’s performance in his title defense against Tatsuro Taira. Van won via TKO in the fifth round. White praised the war that the Burmese presented.
—Sim. Depois from the first fight, when Van won the belt because the guy broke his elbow, he lived up to his reputation. Ele was amazing — said White. The president avoided giving details about the calendar, but made it clear that Pantoja is the next challenger.
Pantoja’s injury happened unexpectedly. Ele went for a high kick. Van held his leg and the Brazilian tried to place his arm on the ground. The elbow gave way. The fight stopped immediately. The then champion asked for the interruption.
Detalhes from the injury that changed the reign
The episode took place at UFC 323, in December 2025. Pantoja was the favorite. The combat has barely started. Aos 26 seconds, the Brazilian saw the title slip away. The team confirmed a fractured elbow. Recovery took time.
- Lesão happened when he tried to put his arm on the ground after a saved high kick
- Luta stopped by technical TKO in favor of Joshua Van
- Pantoja had successfully defended the belt before the night
- Organização offered initial rematch, but return process was adjusted
- Van defended the title for the first time last Saturday
American Top Team followed the process. Intense Treinos were reduced at first. The focus became complete rehabilitation. Agora the fighter is ready.
Joshua Van shines in first title defense
The new champion took to the octagon at UFC 328 against Tatsuro Taira. The duel was intense. Van suffered pressure on the ground in the opening rounds. Ele turned the game around with precise striking. In the fifth round, a sequence of blows led to a technical knockout. The audience at Prudential Center cheered.
Van came into the event with a 16-2 record. Saiu with 17-2. Aos 24 years old, he is one of the youngest champions in the history of the category. The Burmese celebrated the victory and has already commented on the future. Ele considers Pantoja a worthy opponent.
What changes for the fly division
Pantoja reigned for a good period. Ele racked up title defenses. The injury interrupted the path. Agora he returns with extra motivation. The category remains busy. Outros names like Tatsuro Taira showed potential. The Japanese fell to Van, but delivered a good performance.
The rematch promises to attract attention. Brazilian fans await his return. Pantoja trains on Miami. Ele has already appeared in recent images demonstrating arm mobility. The expectation is that the confrontation will take place in 2026. White did not give an exact deadline. Ele prioritizes the organization’s overall calendar.
Category recent Histórico
The flyweight division gained new momentum with Van. The fighter impressed with his resilience. Ele absorbed early pressure against Taira. Depois dominated the standing strikes. The technical knockout victory at 1:32 of the fifth round sealed the night. Árbitro Vitor Ribeiro stopped the fight.
Pantoja, in turn, experienced the opposite side of the coin in 2025. Ele was the man to beat. The injury slowed the momentum. Meses of physical therapy and controlled training came next. The direct return to the title shows the respect he still has within Ultimate.
The UFC usually gives opportunities to former champions in cases of injury. Este is yet another example. Van has already indicated that he accepts the duel. Ele called the first match bizarre. Agora wants to write his own story against the Brazilian.