Alexandre
Pantoja is eager to reclaim the
Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight title.
The former 125-pound champion has been sidelined since suffering an
arm injury in his title defense against Joshua Van
at
UFC 323 last year. „The Cannibal“ has now fully healed and
believes he is ready to run it back with Van.
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Alexandre Pantoja says he’s fully recovered and wants another
shot at UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van.
Pantoja suffered an arm injury very early into his fight with Van,
who caught his kick and forced him backwards before the Brazilian
awkwardly posted up on his hand. The referee stopped the bout at 26
seconds, with Pantoja clearly in pain, clutching his arm. His
recovery is now complete and he’s targeting an Octagon return.
“I’m ready,” Pantoja told MMA Fighting. “After December, what happened to
my arm, two days after that, I went to the gym, started training
with just one arm. That’s who I am. I’m not done. I’m not done. I
have so much to conquer. I have so much to prove. I want to take
the belt again. I want to be UFC champion one more time.”
After his anticlimactic title-winning effort, Van successfully
defended the flyweight crown with a fifth-round stoppage of
Tatsuro
Taira at
UFC 328. Pantoja has now praised the champion’s performance and
believes the division has gotten more interesting during his
absence.
„Flyweight is better than ever,“ Pantoja said. „I think what
happened with me last year made the division more fire. Now I have
the opportunity to take over and beat everybody again.“
While he accepts the result of his loss to Van, Pantoja believes
he’s still the better fighter.
“Of course, I have unfinished business with Joshua Van. As an
athlete, I know I lost the fight,” he added. “That happened. But
like a man, I don’t think he beat me. I’m still here. I’m ready to
fight. I’m in amazing shape. Let’s see what happens next.”