LAS VEGAS — What was billed as one of the most anticipated flyweight title fights in years ended in stunning, heartbreaking, and anticlimactic fashion. Joshua Van is now the UFC’s new 125-pound champion after defending titleholder Alexandre Pantoja suffered a horrific arm injury just 26 seconds into their UFC 323 co-main event Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.
The sequence unfolded instantly: Van (16-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) caught a Pantoja (30-6 MMA, 14-4 UFC) body kick and moved in to secure a takedown. As the champion attempted to post on his arm to brace his fall, his limb appeared to pop or snap, immediately sending him to the canvas in agony.