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Petr Yan Regains UFC Bantamweight Title as Joshua Van Claims Flyweight Belt After Pantoja Injury at UFC 323

The UFC now weighs rematches and new challengers, with Dana White indicating Van will likely defend before a Pantoja redo and Tatsuro Taira emerging as the leading option.

Overview

  • Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision, and he publicly downplayed an automatic trilogy, suggesting Dvalishvili re-earn a shot.
  • Dana White lauded Yan vs. Dvalishvili as an "incredibly high-level fight" and framed it as a fitting close to the UFC’s ESPN pay-per-view era.
  • Van won the flyweight title in 26 seconds after Alexandre Pantoja suffered a severe arm injury, with reports differing on whether it was the shoulder or elbow.
  • Van became the first UFC champion born in the 2000s, and Taira’s stoppage of former champ Brandon Moreno positioned the Japanese contender for a title shot.
  • The card also featured Payton Talbott’s decision over Henry Cejudo, who announced his retirement, as the promotion prepares to transition to Paramount+ next month.