A major update on Alexandre Pantoja has emerged following a freak injury in the UFC 323 co-main event that cost him the flyweight title.
In the co-headliner of Saturday’s UFC pay-per-view, Alexandre Pantoja defended his 125-pound title once again in a matchup with fast-rising star Joshua Van. Many were excited about the matchup because it had fight of the night potential.
Early on, it seemed like the bout would live up to the hype as the two threw some big shots at one another. Early in Round 1, the champ attempted a right high kick that was caught by Van. As Pantoja looked to turn and get loose from the challenger’s grip, he fell to the ground and posted with his left arm.
However, putting all his weight on the limb seemed to dislocate his elbow. He immediately grabbed his arm, waved off an attack from Van, and the fight was brought to a disappointing end. It was a very sad and unfair close to one of the best title reigns in UFC flyweight history.
In the post-show for the event, Megan Olivi offered up an update on Pantoja’s injury, and it was a little surprising. She claims that the UFC’s top physician, Dr. Jeff Davidson, said it wasn’t the Brazilian’s elbow that was the problem. Instead, he suffered a left shoulder dislocation with spontaneous reduction.
What that means is he dislocated the joint, but it was quickly forced back into the socket at the end of the movement that caused the injury. The former champion is set to undergo further imaging on Monday in Florida to see if there is any more damage to the joint.
The broadcast team asked Olivi if she meant elbow, and not shoulder. She confirmed that Davidson stated it was a shoulder injury for Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 323.
