The image from UFC 323 is still hard to shake. One awkward landing, one arm bending the wrong way, and just like that, Alexandre Pantoja’s flyweight reign ended in less than 30 seconds. Just shock, silence, and a belt changing hands before most fans had settled into their seats. So the obvious question followed almost immediately: how long is he gone? Months? A year? Long enough for the division to move on without him?

That uncertainty lingered for weeks. Pantoja promised he’d be back stronger, but official timelines were vague. Even UFC boss Dana White seemed to think an eight-to-nine-month absence was possible, without full clarity on the injury. Until now.

During a recent appearance on Adin Ross’ stream with MMAGuru, lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan was asked directly about Pantoja’s condition, and his response cut through weeks of speculation: “He’s back… back to training.”

That alone raised eyebrows. Back in the gym already? Less than a month removed from a visibly gruesome elbow injury? Naturally, MMAGuru pressed further.

“Yeah,” Tsarukyan replied, before adding the detail everyone wanted, “I ask him when he wants to come back, he said maybe June – July.”

So what does that actually mean? A June–July return would put Alexandre Pantoja roughly six to seven months post-injury. For an elbow hyperextension or dislocation without surgical repair, that timeline isn’t unrealistic.

‘The Cannibal’s game is pressure, scrambles, and suffocating grappling. If anything, timing and confidence are the bigger hurdles. As his coach, Marcos Parrumpa previously shared, “We spoke with both Hunter [Campbell] and Mick [Maynard], and if the recovery time is reasonable, that’s what will happen, the immediate rematch, because it’s the correct thing to do. It’s Pantoja’s right.”

If the newly crowned flyweight champion Joshua Van defends in the meantime, or if the UFC pushes forward with another contender, that June–July window becomes critical. Come back too late, and the division reshuffles. Come back on time, and Alexandre Pantoja steps straight into unfinished business.

And that’s why Arman Tsarukyan’s casual comment carries weight. But that recovery timeline naturally reopens another debate. If Alexandre Pantoja is already back in the gym and eyeing a summer return, was the fight at UFC 323 ended too quickly in the first place? That’s the uncomfortable question Dominick Cruz keeps circling.

Dominick Cruz doesn’t back down from his take about Alexandre Pantoja’s fight stoppage

The former bantamweight champion didn’t wait long to voice it. As Pantoja’s bout with Joshua Van was waved off just seconds in, Cruz immediately questioned whether referee Herb Dean pulled the plug too fast on X. The reaction raised eyebrows, but weeks later, Cruz hasn’t backed off. Instead, he’s doubled down and explained exactly what he saw.

Speaking on the Love & War podcast, Cruz admitted, “I think the reason why this tweet got picked up is because it sounds kind of crazy, probably. But as a fighter myself, I watched that fight and saw somebody who was shaking his head when it got stopped. It’s like he looked up at the ref, right here you’ll see he falls, boom, he’s shaking his head, like, ‘No.’ … and he’s like, ‘I’m alright, I’m alright’. You see him saying that?”

That moment is doing a lot of work in Dominick Cruz’s argument. He was careful not to claim Alexandre Pantoja was actually fine. Cruz even acknowledged the gray area. For all he knows, Pantoja could be saying it was a “freak accident” and accepting the stoppage. But in that instant, Cruz believes the champion wanted a choice. And that’s the heart of it.

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With the Brazilian fighter now reportedly targeting a June or July return, the debate feels even sharper. If the injury heals cleanly, does that make the stoppage look more cautious than necessary? Or was it exactly the kind of intervention that saved a career? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!