The UFC 323 co-main event between flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja and surging contender Joshua Van was poised to be a thrilling clash of styles and generations. Pantoja, the dominant champion, was set to defend his title against one of the youngest challengers to ever step into a UFC title fight. Fans were ready to watch a potential classic.
Instead, the fight reached a shocking and gruesome end merely 26 seconds into the first round, ending not with a knockout or submission, but with a devastating injury that silenced the crowd and sent waves of disbelief through the watching world of the UFC. The highly anticipated championship bout turned into a viral moment of shared horror and immediate concern for the fallen former champion.
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 06: (L-R) Joshua Van of Myanmar trades punches with Alexandre Pantoja of Brazil in the UFC flyweight championship fight during the UFC 323 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 06, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
As Van caught a Pantoja head kick, the champion was thrown off balance. In an instinctive move to brace his fall, Pantoja posted his left arm on the canvas. The limb twisted grotesquely upon impact, with a sickening pop audible to those close to the Octagon.
Here is a clip of the injury posted on the UFC official YouTube channel (viewer discretion advised):
Now, in the aftermath of the fight, UFC stars watching around the world shared their reactions and gave their takes.
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Immediate Reactions
UFC color commentator Joe Rogan, watching the slow-motion replay, speculated, “That might not be just a dislocation. That might be a break.”
Tatsuro Taira, who fought at UFC 323 just before this title fight took place, was visibly shocked when the injury occurred (screenshot by MMA_Kings on X):
Now, Taira might be the next title challenger after an impressive, yet controversial TKO finish against former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno.
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One of the most immediate reactions online was that of retired former bantamweight champion, Dominick Cruz, who posted a scalding hot take on X:
UFC Fighter Vlog Reactions
Former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya posted his reactions to the fight card on YouTube and was visibly cringing at the sight of the replay:
A main talking point for many fighters was how the UFC production team constantly replayed slow-motion footage of the injury, despite its brutal and borderline disturbing nature.
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UFC Heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, who himself suffered a gruesome injury in his last fight, filmed his reaction to the injury during a vlog post:
Aspinall, putting his hands over his face, reacted to the footage, saying, “Oh my god. That’s disgusting. I don’t even want to watch it again. That’s enough for me. Jesus.”
Bantamweight star Sean O’Malley also posts reactions to UFC fight cards, and in his reaction to the injury, he took the time to criticize how the newly-crowned champion celebrated the win:
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O’Malley was not a fan of how Joshua Van reacted, saying, “You can’t celebrate that too much. I mean, you don’t wanna win that like that.”
While many fans online shared O’Malley’s sentiment towards Van’s celebratory attitude, the flyweight champion did not mince words when asked about his opinion on their criticism.
Joshua Van Defends Himself
At the post-fight press conference, Van responded to a question about people who trash-talk his accomplishment, saying, “F— them. If you do good, they will talk sh—, and if you do bad, they will talk sh—, so do what makes you happy. It don’t matter what they think, man, I won.”
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Watch the full press conference here:
To Van’s credit, he technically caused the conditions for Pantoja to suffer that acute injury in their fight. At the end of the day, his record still lists this fight as a win against Pantoja, despite what critics have to say.
Alexandre Pantoja Provides Update
Just hours after the fight, Alexandre Pantoja took to Instagram with a message of resilience:
In a display of utmost class, Pantoja made sure to say, “Joshua Van, that’s his destiny to win this belt tonight.”
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“I’m going to work again, and I’m going to take my belt again,” he said confidently.
Dana White’s Reaction
For the UFC, matchmakers must now think quickly after one of their most dominant champions suffered a potentially career-ending injury.
For next steps, UFC President and CEO Dana White mentioned that he wants to see Van defend his title before Pantoja recovers from his injury, a rehabilitation process that could take at least a year.
He said during the post-fight press conference, “I’m no f— doctor or anything, but I don’t see [Pantoja] coming back any time soon. I think there would be a defense before he comes back. I think he’s going to need some time.”
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White also hinted that the UFC will start looking for venues in Japan for a potential title fight between Joshua Van and Tatsuro Taira.
What could have been a spectacular fight between the UFC flyweight division’s best athletes will live in the hypothetical realm for now. Maybe in the future, when Pantoja regains his full health, he can get a well-deserved rematch.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 9, 2025, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
