Outside Source
After four consecutive title defenses, Pantoja lost his flyweight crown at UFC 323 when he suffered a serious elbow injury. The Brazilian posted off his arm defending a takedown attempt from challenger Joshua Van early into their five-round affair. Due to the fight-ending injury, Van was awarded the belt with a TKO stoppage of “The Cannibal.”
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When the dust settled, questions quickly arose as to what Pantoja’s condition was, and even where it was located. On the UFC broadcast, the commentators relayed information from officials that it was his shoulder that sustained the injury. Those statements were quickly rebuffed, as the damage was to his elbow and not shoulder.
Pantoja’s coach at American Top Team, Marcos da Matta—also known as “Parrumpinha”—appeared on the Overdogs Brasil podcast hosted by UFC fighter Renato “Money” Moicano on Wednesday to talk about his fighters. The vaunted coach provided a positive update on the former champ’s condition. According to the medical scans, Pantoja did not fracture any bones in or around his elbow while going down.
“We went to the doctor today. We got good news, nothing was broken,” da Matta reported. “So, we’re going to wait and see what happens over the next two weeks. It’s still too early. We’ll see how long he’ll be out. From there, the UFC, Dana White, [UFC Chief Business Officer] Hunter [Campbell] and [UFC matchmaker] Mick [Maynard] will take the necessary steps.”
Per the coach, the UFC is fully intending on scheduling a rematch when Pantoja has recovered.
“They want to have an immediate rematch, but everything will depend on how long Pantoja is out. If it’s a reasonable amount of time, there will be an immediate rematch. If it’s a longer time, the division really can’t be left standing still, and we understand that,” the coach remarked.
A Good Chance of Not Needing Surgery
Following that appearance on Overdogs Brasil, Sherdog contacted orthopedist Rickson Moraes, a renowned shoulder and elbow specialist. The medical professional, one who has operated on many top athletes including Junior dos Santos, Rafael dos Anjos and Ronaldo Souza, shared what he was permitted to reveal about Pantoja’s condition.
“I spoke with a member of his team,” Dr. Moraes told Sherdog. “The X-ray showed no fracture, which is great news, but because the elbow was very swollen, they will wait a few days to check if the elbow is stable and to understand if there were any ligament injuries. But because there is no fracture, he has a good chance of not needing surgery, but the return time can only be defined after this next evaluation.”
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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