Alexandre Pantoja praises Joshua Van, but vows to settle ‘unfinished business’ in near future: “I don’t think he beat me”

Alexandre Pantoja thinks Joshua Van has handled himself well as the UFC Flyweight Champion, but he wants to settle things with the bruiser from Myanmar.

Pantoja has been out of action since suffering an injury early in his late 2025 tilt with Van. Going into the bout, Pantoja was the reigning 125-pound titleholder, but he suffered a freak injury when he landed badly on his arm and suffered a dislocation after Van caught a kick attempt. Van was awarded the UFC Flyweight Championship.

During an interview with MMAFighting.com, Pantoja said he’s cleared to get back in action, and he plans to challenge for the title he held for over two years.

“I’m ready,” Pantoja said. “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. And when you have the belt, your words [mean more]. I want to take the belt again. I want to be UFC champion one more time and keep talking to good things, about the world and things I saw in my life, make people happy. That’s what I want.”

Pantoja has nothing but praise for Van, lauding the champion’s efforts in his TKO finish over Tatsuro Taira back in May. Even so, Pantoja doesn’t feel that Van truly defeated him, and he wants a definitive answer when the two eventually collide in a rematch.

“Of course, I have unfinished business with Joshua Van. Like, as an athlete, I know I lost the fight. That happened. But like a man, I don’t think he beat me.”

Who would you favor in a rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja? Let your voice be heard in the comments below.