Alexandre Pantoja fully healed, ready to reclaim UFC title from Joshua Van

Alexandre Pantoja is confident he has fully recovered from the elbow injury that derailed his first UFC flyweight title fight against Joshua Van, and he's ready to reclaim his throne in a rematch at UFC 331 in Los Angeles on September 19.

Pantoja entered their December matchup as a heavy favorite but suffered an elbow injury while attempting to brace for a fall after Van caught his head kick. The Brazilian flyweight has credited his mental approach during rehabilitation for his swift bounce-back, returning to the gym just two days after the fight to begin physiotherapy and single-arm training. "The first 20 minutes after my injury are the worst," Pantoja explained, "but after that I realized what opportunity I have."

While their first meeting ended in disappointment, Pantoja respects Van's path to undisputed champion status. Van successfully defended the belt against Tatsuro Taira in emphatic fashion, lending legitimacy to the rematch. Pantoja acknowledged this validation, saying "I like to see he got a title defense before we fight because this makes it more real. He's the champion of the world now. It's for real." The former champ's aggressive mindset—refusing to dwell on the injury and committing fully to recovery—suggests he approaches the sequel with renewed focus and purpose.