Joshua Van vs Pantoja FULL FIGHT HIGHLIGHTS UFC 323 (Alexandre Arm)

December 6, 2025 — UFC 323 Results: Joshua Van Becomes Second‑Youngest UFC Champion After Alexandre Pantoja Suffers Shocking Injury | Full Fight Recap & Breakdown

UFC 323 delivered one of the most unexpected and emotional moments of the year as Joshua Van claimed the UFC flyweight title after Alexandre Pantoja suffered a devastating arm injury just seconds into their championship fight.

The bout opened with high intensity. Pantoja launched a head kick, which Van expertly caught before countering with a powerful takedown. During the fall, Pantoja attempted to post on the mat — and his arm catastrophically gave out, snapping on impact. Referee Herb Dean immediately waved off the fight as Pantoja clutched his arm in pain. The arena gasped, and even contender Tatsuro Taira was visibly stunned cageside.

Despite the shocking ending, Van showed tremendous sportsmanship, kneeling beside Pantoja before celebrating the biggest moment of his young career.

At just 24 years old, Joshua Van is now the second‑youngest champion in UFC history, trailing only Jon Jones. His rise has been meteoric — turning pro after the COVID era and now standing at the top of one of the toughest divisions in the sport.

While the ending was unfortunate, the sequence was initiated by Van’s offensive technique. The injury, though freakish, resulted directly from the fight’s natural movement — not an accident outside competitive action.

For Alexandre Pantoja, the injury is heartbreaking. At 35, he was closing in on cementing himself as one of the greatest flyweights ever. Now, a long recovery awaits before any talk of a return.

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Should the UFC book an immediate rematch once Pantoja is healed?
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???? UFC 323 — Full Fight Card & Official Results
Main Event
• Petr Yan def. Merab Dvalishvili (c) — Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)
• Joshua Van def. Alexandre Pantoja (c) — TKO (Injury), Round 1
• Tatsuro Taira def. Brandon Moreno — TKO (Punches), Round 2
• Payton Talbott def. Henry Cejudo — Unanimous Decision (30-27 ×3)
• Jan Blachowicz vs. Bogdan Guskov — Majority Draw (29-28, 28-28, 28-28)
• Manuel Torres def. Grant Dawson — TKO (Punches), Round 1

Prelims
• Chris Duncan def. Terrance McKinney — Submission (Anaconda Choke), Round 1
• Maycee Barber def. Karine Silva — Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Fares Ziam def. Nazim Sadykhov — TKO (Punches), Round 2
• Brunno Ferreira def. Marvin Vettori — Unanimous Decision (29-28 ×2, 29-28)
• Jalin Turner def. Edson Barboza — TKO (Punches), Round 1
• Iwo Baraniewski def. Ibo Aslan — KO (Punches), Round 1
• Mansur Abdul‑Malik def. Antonio Trocoli — Submission (Standing Guillotine), Round 1
• Mairon Santos def. Muhammad Naimov — TKO (Punches), Round 3

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