What happened
New UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van said he was 'shocked' by Alexandre Pantoja's comments following their UFC 328 encounter, per Ariel Helwani. Van suggested the former champion, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, should have known better when it came to falling technique. 'When I first walked into the gym, they taught us how to fall, and they taught us not to post our hand like that,' Van said.
Why it matters
The exchange adds friction to a potential next chapter at flyweight after Van retained his title at UFC 328 by stopping Tatsuro Taira in the fifth round. Helwani has already floated Pantoja as Van's most logical next challenger, and a public back-and-forth typically accelerates promotional interest. For a champion still establishing his star power, owning the post-fight narrative matters as much as the result.
What to watch
Watch for Pantoja's response and any UFC matchmaking signals on whether Van-Pantoja becomes the next flyweight title fight. Helwani's program is expected to keep tracking the back-and-forth on subsequent shows.