Seconds into the first round of their UFC 323 co-main, former flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja‘s leg shot up for a head kick, which Joshua Van caught. A disbalanced Pantoja met the mats, dislocating his elbow. Or so it seemed until Megan Olivi left even MMA’s greats like Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier agape.

While Pantoja’s exact medical condition is still behind a blindfold, a recent update has surfaced that was just as hard to digest as the initial suspicion. The replay shows Pantoja posting his left palm onto the mat as he landed on the ground, appearing as though his left elbow had bent the other way. However, Megan Olvi’s live broadcast shifted the focus to his shoulder instead.

“I spoke with the UFC’s chief medical physician, Dr. Jeff Davidson, he told me Pantoja had a left shoulder dislocation with spontaneous reduction,” Megan Olivi shared with the UFC commentators. This update not only surprised the prying fans but also UFC commentator Joe Rogan, who thought the ‘Cannibal’ had sustained the freak injury on his elbow on the UFC 323 post-show.

“No, it was his elbow, for sure the elbow,” he countered. “It looked like his elbow,” Daniel Cormier shared that sentiment. However, looks like Olivi wasn’t wrong with her phrasing, as she added how Pantoja would undergo additional imaging on Monday for his injury.

“Doesn’t even make sense, we saw his elbow like literally leave the joint!” a bewildered Rogan exclaimed. Jon Anik also chimed in, “Well maybe something with the shoulders, but certainly there’s something on that elbow.”

MMA writer Adam Martin further tweeted Megan Olivi’s post on X, noting how the assessment “makes no sense.” Moments later, Dana White confirmed the same at the presser, that it was Panotja’s shoulder that popped out and that the doctors had put it back in during the backstage medical evaluation.

As the replays blared through the screens, it’s hard to make out whether it was indeed Pantoja’s shoulder, despite the UFC officials’ “triple confirmed” medical assessment. But the fans are not buying into the statement just yet.

Confusion reels through the MMA World over Alexandre Pantoja’s UFC 323 injury

Adam Martin’s post on X was sure to ruffle some feathers, as fans jumped in with their own assessments of the 26-second clip. While it’s not impossible to dislocate your shoulder through a poorly executed fall, Pantoja’s elbow seemed to take a lot more of the brutal clash. “Shoulder? You mean elbow, surely,” one user skeptically commented.

Others raised direct questions to the UFC’s medics and doctors. Mocking GIFs followed with messages like: “WTH! Who is his doctor? I want to talk to him,” and “Dana said we’ll get you the best treatment then had a janitor backstage take a look at it 🤣.”

Another user jumped on the wagon, sarcastically writing, “Apparently I’ve been mixing up the shoulder and elbow my entire life.” Clearly, the fans are standing their ground on what they believe happened inside the cage, which makes complete sense if we take a look at the numerous clips surfacing on the internet. “So strange, we literally saw his elbow bend backwards!” Another fan joined the confusion episode.

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One fan went the length to post a clear picture of Pantoja’s elbow bent inwards, showcasing clear damage to his elbow. They wrote: “The elbow was broadcast in 4K around the world.” While the verdict lies with the UFC’s officials and medics, Alexandre Pantoja has himself stepped in with his first message since the heartbreaking injury loss.

Taking to his Instagram, he wrote, “I’ve been through worse. I’ll come back even stronger, you can be sure of that. Thank you for the messages.” Alongside the message, he posted a picture of himself of which looks to be prior to his octagon entry. However, he didn’t post any official confirmation of the actual injury he has sustained.

Regardless, it looks like Pantoja is sidelined from the center stage of the flyweight division for quite some time now. He might or might not need surgery depending on the extent of the injury. As Pantoja sits outside the cage for now, Joshua Van is already eyeing his next opponent for his first-ever title defense. But it’s hard to shake off the highlights from this fight, which left a sour aftertaste throughout the MMA fandom. What do you believe occurred at Pantoja vs Van bout?