Pantoja Needs Mental Rest and Has No Return Date, Coach Says

Alexandre Pantoja will remain on the sidelines indefinitely following his September rematch loss to flyweight champion Joshua Van, with his coach saying the former champion needs an extended break before contemplating another UFC booking. American Top Team coach Marcos "Parrumpa" da Matta told Sherdog that Pantoja requires rest for both body and mind, with no firm plans to resume competition before 2027. The reasoning is the toll of consecutive title camps stretching back to 2023, a run that has left the Brazilian physically worn and psychologically drained. Pantoja held the flyweight title from July 2023 until he lost the belt to Van last December, when an arm injury forced him out of their first meeting after just 26 seconds, and the September rematch defeat confirmed that his time at the very top, for now, is on hold. Da Matta stressed that this is not a retirement announcement, but a recognition that a fighter cannot keep going to the well without consequence. The flyweight division will move on in his absence, but Pantoja's record as one of the division's great champions is secure. Whenever he does return, the hope from his camp is that it will be with a refreshed mind and a body ready to compete at the highest level again, rather than rushed back into another gruelling camp.