Alexandre Pantoja gives update on return: ‘I have unfinished business with Joshua Van’

Alexandre Pantoja is ready to reclaim his flyweight throne after spending months recovering from an arm injury that derailed his title defense against Joshua Van in December's UFC 323. Pantoja suffered the damage early in that fight when he injured his arm attempting to roll away after Van caught a kick just seconds into the bout. Now fully healed, Pantoja is eager for a rematch to settle unfinished business.

While Pantoja recovered, the flyweight division continued to evolve. Van successfully defended his newly won title in May at UFC 328, stopping Tatsuro Taira in the fifth round. Manel Kape impressed with a knockout victory over Kyoji Horiguchi, and Brandon Royval defeated Lone'er Kavanagh. Pantoja praised the division's growth, noting that the competitive landscape has elevated the entire 125-pound class.

"I have unfinished business with Joshua Van," Pantoja told MMA Fighting, emphasizing that while Van won their previous encounter, he doesn't believe he was truly beaten. Pantoja acknowledged the loss but expressed confidence in his readiness to reclaim the belt. "As an athlete, I know I lost the fight. That happened. But like a man, I don't think he beat me. I'm still here. I'm ready to fight. I'm in amazing shape."

Pantoja identified Kape as the next contender after Van, following Kape's dominant performance against Horiguchi. For Pantoja, the division's elevation benefits everyone. "Flyweight is better than ever," he said, adding that his absence may have actually helped spark increased interest in the weight class. With his recovery complete, Pantoja aims to reclaim his championship and continue the momentum building throughout the division.