On the list of ‘What If’ questions left unanswered at the end of 2025, Alexandre Pantoja vs. Joshua Van was perhaps the most the suprising. Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria, Topuria vs. Arman Tsarukyan, and Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones all failed to materialise, but Pantoja’s dislocating his elbow 26 seconds into the UFC 323 co-main bout came out of the field. Everyone, including Dana White, wrote him off for a return anytime soon. But ‘The Cannibal’ seems to be plotting to spoil Joshua Van’s party.

Alexandre Pantoja has returned to the gym less than a month later, sparring and training with clear determination. The arm that failed him in Las Vegas is now functional, and the conversation has shifted quickly. In the clips going viral online, Alexandre Pantoja can be seen exchanging strikes during sparring and later pushing through gym workouts. This was a visual that fans didn’t expect to see for months, and that’s where the reactions escalated.

For many fans, the first thought was revenge against the man who took away his title, Joshua Van. “It’d be so fire if he submitted Van with the same hand,” one user wrote, while another echoed the sentiment, “Pantoja vs. Van 2, Pantoja round 2 RNC.” A not-so-subtle reminder that Pantoja’s last two wins came via rear-naked choke.

One Pantoja believer warned, “Be ready, paper champ van, the king is back.” Others lost all subtlety. “Ok Joshua van, you’re f—–,” one fan wrote. Another comment held nothing back: “Van should run away; otherwise, he will die 😭.”

A separate group focused on what was actually impressive here: the speed of the comeback. Alexandre Pantoja injured his arm half a month ago, and he’s already back. A fan stated, “Bro is a warrior, man.” The pride was loud. “THAT’S MY F—— GOAT,” one said. Another wrote, “The true flyweight king will be back.” The disbelief reached its peak with, “Insaneee recoveryy wtff 🔥🔥🔥.” But should anyone really be surprised?

A week after the injury, Pantoja was in the gym doing the basics while his left hand was in a brace. “You don’t understand what kind [of] man I am,” he captioned the clip.

Many people still look to Demetrious Johnson as the standard, but ‘The Cannibal’ has cemented his place in that conversation through consistent dominance. With his rehabilitation progressing faster than predicted, the pressure quietly shifts. Joshua Van holds the title, but the division is fully aware that Alexandre Pantoja is already moving forward again. But many would still be wondering, how did he recover so fast? What was his injury, and when will he return?

Longtime head coach drops a positive update

That mystery of how Alexandre Pantoja came back so quickly finally has some clarity behind it. According to long-time head coach Marcos “Parrumpinha” DaMatta, the damage was not as bad as it looked in real time, despite the fact that the moment itself felt alarming.

What appeared to be a disaster on fight night turned out to be a lot less serious when the scans came back. Imaging showed no fractures or substantial ligament injury, which unexpectedly changed the overall trajectory. This ruled out the need for surgery and opened the door straight to rehab.

‘The Cannibal’ has already resumed controlled movement and selective gym work rather than being sidelined entirely. But he’s not out of the woods yet. Elbow stability is essential for a fighter whose game is built around grappling pressure, balance, and control. Then there is the fact that this is the same elbow he injured in a motorcycle accident a few years ago. At his age, Pantoja will want to ensure that he’s not in this position again.

Lucky for him, he has climbed this mountain more than once. Besides overcoming the motorcycle accident injury, Panotja had to overcome an injury to his right elbow in 2017, when he was preparing to fight Neil Seery. “I was tense and almost cried because I thought I wouldn’t be able to fight anymore,” he said in an interview.

He spent his preparation time in rehab and trained only kicks. Fellow Brazilian UFC champ Antonio Nogueira’s ARP wave therapy advice is what eventually kept him in the fight. So, ‘The Cannibal’ has the wealth of experience dealing with these injuries.

The progression is as follows: mobility initially, then light training, and finally intensity. With excellent rehab and discipline, a return in the middle of 2026 seems more probable than hopeful. And, given that Alexandre Pantoja is already back in the gym doing his best, the division shouldn’t expect the former champion to be out of sight for long.