The way the UFC immediately hyped up Van vs Taira after Pantoja's freak injury was disgusting

[AMAZINGUFC]

What did you want?
A wake? A seventh-day mass? A one-month mass?
And only then would they decide the future of the division?

 

[Ozze]

Like you said TS: when he's healthy.

No point holding a young fresh new champion for a year. The division moves on and when Pantoja is good and ready he comes back directly into a title fight.

 

[jeff7b9]

A fight promotion promoting fights????

how dare they!!!

 

[SalvadorAllende]

Why would they even mention Asakura when Taira is there?

I think TS mixed them up...

you know.. they all look the same?

TS thinks all Japanese fighters are the same guy.

Kyoji Taira Asakura should get the next TS IMO.

 

[SalvadorAllende]

Welcome to another episode of Joke Racist, Actual Racist, or Brain Fart?

This is Sherdog.. so it is probably all 3 of them.

 

[swarrrm]

I think TS mixed them up...

you know.. they all look the same?


Kyoji Taira Asakura should get the next TS IMO.

I thought Aoki retired

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

I think TS mixed them up...

you know.. they all look the same?

That "all look the same" crap never made any sense to me. It's clear TS fucked it up. The name "Asakura" never even left Jason Statham's lips

 

[paulchozick]

Pantoja was a long time Championship, in fact had the most defenses of any current champion and lost his title due to freak injury that was caused by a head kick he threw. The UFC didn't even really acknowledge that before trying to hype Kai up as Van's next title challenger which at the very least was slimey. This would be like if Aspinall vs Blaydes 1 but for a world title, except I think even less happened in this fight. I've heard a lot of people say "Champions who get stopped shouldn't get rematches" but this should be the lone exception. The UFC gave Usman an immediate rematch for actually being flat lined so there should be no argument for Pantoja getting 1 when he's healthy.

I totally understand your hurt feeligns------but you gotta get over it mang!!!!!!

 

[FreedomCricket]

FYI, Jayden Daniels from the Commanders dislocated his elbow a few weeks back in similar fashion and is starting this week. So if Pantoja dislocated something but didn't tear anything, there's a chance they could run it back Q1 of 2026.

 

[Cowboy Kurt Angle]

You mean Taira right? Asukura got finished by Tim Eliott in August

 

[Slapjit]

Exactly. They could have done so much more. For instance, tonight I will be holding a candlelight vigil for Pantoja.

 

[Corona]

Lmao at confusing the Japanese fighters.

 

[bjjwar]

Rogan said all the normal things like "obviously you didn't want to win that way" which is all you really can say.

What else are they gonna do? Be somber and ignore that there is a new champion?

It's not like Van doesn't deserve credit for winning. Panty threw a head kick that Van caught and dumped him backwards which caused Pantoja to have to catch himself and injure himself.

Come on, that was a clear freak injury. Pantoja 100000000% had like 100000000 much harder falls than that. That one was actually super soft, Van ate the kick and wanted to throw him off but he didnt even catch it and just barely pushed Pantoja's leg off lol. He didnt throw him or anything, he actually missed the throw and just barely touched Pantoja's leg who was ofc off balance on 1 leg.

This is like someone punching you in the face and breaking their hand in terms of merit of causing the injury, like, congrats that you eating a punch caused the injury, but come on. And this is just 10000 times more rare, clearly a freak injury.

 

[RichardHarrow]

The way Van acted was despicable. There was no honor in that fight. He acted like he took him to war.

 

[Guest84]

You must be new to still be surprised. The amount of disrespectful thing this company has done because it can makes this look like nothing.

 

[Oscar Madison]

Van was the Terminator taking and tossing that flappy appendage with Pantoja's kick.

Pantoja messed with the wrong kid, got easily moved and took damage. He over relied on his bully demeanor and got stuffed, then got manhandled, then put his arm out because he was tossed and looking to break the fall -- not the best decision.

Van was to dispatch a fallen Pantoja -- but Pantoja quit before Van could do it.

Pantoja's LOSS is totally on Pantoja and his weak ass attempt to take Van's head off.

 

[HHJ]

Stop being in your feelings.

This is the way the game works.

They dont have to hold a funeral for Pantoja when he's still alive.

 

[Cope123]

Maybe he should drink more milk.

 

[Nihongi]

Welcome to another episode of Joke Racist, Actual Racist, or Brain Fart?

Or just dumbass

 

[Venom]

Pantoja was a long time Championship, in fact had the most defenses of any current champion and lost his title due to freak injury that was caused by a head kick he threw. The UFC didn't even really acknowledge that before trying to hype Tasuro up as Van's next title challenger which at the very least was slimey. This would be like if Aspinall vs Blaydes 1 but for a world title, except I think even less happened in this fight. I've heard a lot of people say "Champions who get stopped shouldn't get rematches" but this should be the lone exception. The UFC gave Usman an immediate rematch for actually being flat lined so there should be no argument for Pantoja getting 1 when he's healthy.

This debate happens like every month in MMA spaces. I think immediate post-fight promotions like that are too frequent now. But holding the title for a long time I don't think necessarily should entitle you to an "immediate rematch". We dont even know how long hes out.