Alexandre Pantoja says he's ready for Joshua Van rematch after arm injury

Alexandre Pantoja has declared himself fully recovered and ready to reclaim the UFC flyweight title following a year-long layoff from a serious arm injury. The former 125-pound champion was forced out of action after suffering damage to his arm just 26 seconds into his title defense against Joshua Van at UFC 323 last December. Van caught Pantoja's kick, drove him backward, and the Brazilian awkwardly posted on his hand, prompting the referee to stop the bout. After a complete recovery, Pantoja told MMA Fighting he is eager to run back the bout and recapture gold. "I'm ready," Pantoja said. "I'm not done. I have so much to conquer. I want to take the belt again. I want to be UFC champion one more time." Pantoja praised the evolution of the flyweight division during his absence, noting that Van successfully defended the title by fifth-round stoppage of Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328. While accepting the technical loss, Pantoja maintains he remains the superior fighter. "As an athlete, I know I lost the fight," he acknowledged. "But like a man, I don't think he beat me." The Brazilian believes the division is now "better than ever" and expressed confidence in his ability to "take over and beat everybody again," setting the stage for what could be a pivotal rematch with Van.