UFC 323 wasn’t supposed to end with a collective gasp. It was supposed to be a showdown between the division’s most decorated champion and its fastest-rising contender, a passing of the torch of sorts. Instead, 26 seconds in, Alexandre Pantoja‘s arm folded beneath him, leaving Joshua Van standing in the kind of silence no new champion wants to debut in.

The celebration felt muted, the audience hesitant to accept the way the title changed hands, and the narrative abruptly flipped from triumph to aftermath. And unfortunately, a new question emerged online: What exactly counts as winning a title? Van heard every phrase, every asterisk, and every claim that he wasn’t the “real” heir. What followed was an unexpected reaction—and an offer that has the potential to change the entire narrative surrounding UFC 323.

Joshua Van claims responsibility and offers an instant rematch

What surprised fans was how firmly Joshua Van insisted the belt should be defended again, immediately, against the man he dethroned. Van told Ariel Helwani, “Nobody wants the fight to end that way. He’s one of the greatest of all time in our division. I want to run it back.” There was no gloating or relying on the result, just a young champion attempting to make things right.

And to make things even more interesting, he did something even bolder: ‘The Fearless’ claimed ownership of the moment that ended Pantoja’s reign. Not with ego, but with straightforward honesty. Van acknowledged the sequence—a kick, a shove, and a tumble—and stated, “I made that happen…it’s a fight.”

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It wasn’t an attempt to take credit; it was his way of admitting that MMA fights are messy, unexpected, and sometimes cruel. If ‘The Cannibal’ heals quickly, Joshua Van says the door is open: “If you recover quickly enough, then yes.” Still, Van didn’t pretend he predicted the outcome. “I pushed him, but I didn’t think he was going to break his arm,” he explained.

And that mix of accountability and arrogance is exactly what kept the rematch conversation going. It is worth noting that this isn’t the first time he tried to prove his worth. After his win at UFC 323, he lashed out at fans during the post-fight interview, as he said, “F— them… I won.” He will defend that belt, but he won’t defend himself to anyone who won’t listen.

Meanwhile, Alexandre Pantoja himself tried to calm the debate. In a message sent from his hospital bed, he referred to Van’s win as “destiny,” congratulated him, and promised to return with one mission: to reclaim the flyweight title. No bitterness, no excuses, just the mindset of a champion determined to reclaim what he believes is still his.

With both men now agreeing on one idea, that unfinished business needs to be resolved. And the UFC fans may be treated to the rarest thing in MMA: a rematch motivated not by marketing, but by mutual respect and a desire to end the story the right way, even if Joshua Van saw it all coming a long time ago.

The new champion manifested his title win

Joshua Van’s confidence after UFC 323 didn’t come out of nowhere; he’d been calling his shot for more than a year. Ariel Helwani revealed that ‘The Fearless’ used to sign fan cards with the words “Champion by 2026,” a prediction that came true almost exactly. Even his phone wallpaper said, “I’m a champion. December 6, 2025.”

Long before the belt touched his waist, he had mentally prepared for the moment. He also bought a special pistol engraved with “World Champion December 6,” which he has yet to get because it couldn’t be completed in time for fight week. To Joshua Van, this wasn’t luck or controversy; it was a promise fulfilled.

But even with that belief, he returned to the same argument he made immediately after the fight: “Nobody wants the fight to end that way.” The manifestation, the prediction, the date—all of this means less to him without a solid conclusion. That’s why he will be working just as hard for a rematch as the former champion.