Pantoja opens his heart and speaks out for the first time after his defeat at UFC 323: 'It was his destiny'

Alexandre pantoja He is a former UFC flyweight champion. Photo: Reproduction X/UFC

Alexandre pantoja He displays composure, but doesn't hide his frustration with the outcome of... UFC 323, held last Saturday (6). The Brazilian faced Joshua Van in the co-main event and ended up losing the belt after suffering a arm injury still in the first few seconds of the fight. The result, according to the now former champion, was due to an unfortunate event.

In a video posted on Instagram, Pantoja stated that what happened was an unavoidable accident, something possible for any fighter entering the octagon. He emphasized that he never wanted to be defeated in that way and that he would have preferred to be beaten in five rounds. The former champion explained that the moment was very painful for him and his family, especially because he was coming off his best training camp, feeling prepared, confident, and completely at ease inside the octagon.

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“What happened today was a tragedy, an accident. Everyone who enters that octagon is subject to what happened to me. Obviously, I didn't want to lose this way; I would have preferred to lose fighting, I would have preferred to lose taking a beating for five rounds than to lose like this. It was very painful for me and my family… I prepared a lot and felt very calm inside the octagon. That octagon is mine, the UFC is part of my life, I fought my whole life to get to that moment,” he said. Alexandre pantoja.

Pantoja also shared a reflection on the outcome of the duel. For him, the night wasn't about his defeat, but about the fate of... Joshua Van, who, in his view, was destined to win the belt that day. Even so, the Brazilian stated that he accepted the defeat as divine will and reinforced his faith in returning even stronger.

"As I told my wife, we came to the conclusion that today isn't about me, it's about the..." Joshua Van"It was his destiny that he would win this belt today, and he wasn't going to beat me by fighting, I'm sure he would have won this fight. I was ready for it, I was very strong. But God wanted it this way, He wanted him to win tonight, and I'm a very God-fearing guy. I know the message, I believe strongly in God and I will endure all of this. Today I'm going home and, on Monday, I'll start back on the path to get what's mine," concluded the former champion.