The co-main event of UFC 323 ended after just 26 seconds when defending champion Alexandre Pantoja sustained a fluke injury.
Joshua Van is the new 125-pound champion — but it’s not the type of victory he had envisioned.
Van landed only two strikes compared to six for Pantoja, who sustained a gruesome arm injury as he braced himself on the canvas after the Brazilian landed a head kick that was caught by Van.
Pantoja, who had won eight in a row, including four straight title defences, immediately grabbed his arm and signalled that he was injured. The referee stepped in to halt the action.
According to the UFC's chief medical physician via cage-side reporter Megan Olivi during the post-fight broadcast, Pantoja suffered a "left-shouder dislocation with spontaneous reduction."
All of which meant the Brazilian's shoulder went back into place on its own right after the dislocation. Olivi went on to explain that Pantoja would go for additional imaging in Florida on Monday to further understand the extent of the injury, and the now-former champ was "upset" at the situation but left T-Mobile Arena on his feet next to his family.
The commentary team of Daniel Cormier, Joe Rogan and Jon Anik looked surprised by Olivi's reporting as Pantoja's injury appeared to stem from his left elbow, which visibly buckled as he fell, rather than his shoulder. To which Olivi reconfirmed that the UFC told her it was, in fact, a shoulder injury.
However, MMA insider Ariel Helwani reported on Sunday that in speaking to Pantoja's team, they believe it was an elbow injury, and there was no damage to the Brazilian's shoulder."
UFC president Dana White was asked about the injury on Saturday night and also believed it was to Pantoja's elbow, but explained that his medical team relayed it was to the shoulder.
All the while, Myanmar’s Van now becomes the second-youngest champion in UFC history and the first Asian-born men’s champion in the organization’s history.
While the severity of Pantoja's injury remains unclear, an immediate rematch doesn't appear to be in the works, at least not according to White on Saturday.
"No matter what happens, I don't see (Pantoja) coming back anytime soon. I think there would be a (title) defence before he comes back."
