LAS VEGAS — Among the finest flyweight title reigns in UFC historical past got here to an finish Saturday night time in unceremonious vogue.
Joshua Van (16-2), 24, turned the second-youngest champion in UFC historical past, as he received the 125-pound championship with a TKO end over Alexandre Pantoja (30-6) within the co-main occasion of UFC 323 inside T-Cellular Enviornment.
The end got here simply 26 seconds in, when Pantoja was injured as he tumbled to the canvas after Van caught a head-kick try. It marked Pantoja’s first loss in additional than 5 years.
At his postfight information convention, UFC CEO Dana White stated the damage was to Pantoja’s shoulder, which needed to be popped again in after the battle. White stated that Pantoja would endure an MRI.
“I did not know what occurred,” Van stated. “He simply stopped. I used to be attempting to ground-and-pound, however the ref stated one thing was incorrect. He is one of many biggest of all time and I did not need the battle to go that manner.”
Pantoja, who defended the belt thrice earlier than Saturday, instantly left the Octagon to hunt medical consideration. The damage occurred after he threw a excessive proper head kick that Van caught after which elevated right into a takedown. Pantoja twisted midair and braced himself for the touchdown, at which level his decrease arm bent awkwardly beneath him.
After the battle, Pantoja took to Instagram to submit an replace.
“I have been via worse,” Pantoja wrote in his submit. “I am going to come again even stronger, you could be certain of that. Thanks for the messages.”
The victory capped an unimaginable 12 months for Van, who will end 2025 with a 4-0 file. He started the 12 months as a promising however nonetheless uncooked prospect, simply six months faraway from a knockout loss to Charles Johnson in June 2024. Born in Myanmar and now combating out of Houston, Van posted wins over Rei Tsuruya, Bruno Silva and Brandon Royval en path to the title shot. His three-round bout with Royval set a file for many mixed strikes in UFC historical past at 419.
Van can also be the youngest fighter to eclipse 1,000 important strikes landed within the UFC.
“I am so blessed,” Van stated after handing his mom the UFC belt. “Individuals of Myanmar, now the world will know of us.”
Pantoja had been within the midst of one of many biggest runs in flyweight historical past, even coming into the dialog of greatest flyweight of all time with Demetrious Johnson. He received the belt in June 2023 by defeating Brandon Moreno through cut up resolution.