Alexandre
Pantoja
does not mince words.
“In Brazil, we like to say that we’ll bring home our opponent’s
head,” he told Sherdog.com. “That’s an attitude I’ve had since
early on. I’ve been fighting for a long time. My first MMA bout was
at age 17. I’ve always been highly aggressive. I look to kill or be
killed in the Octagon. I like to put on a show. My goal is to
completely destroy my adversaries. I’m always looking to demoralize
my opponents to show them how much stronger I am.”
Those are the parameters for Pantoja ahead of his
UFC
277 flyweight showcase against
Alex Perez on
Saturday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The 32-year-old
Brazilian enters the cage on the heels of back-to-back victories
over
Manel Kape
and
Brandon
Royval. His pairing with Perez takes on added significance due
to the uncertainty that has developed at the top of the 125-pound
weight class, with current champion
Deiveson
Figueiredo on the shelf with an injury and the
Brandon
Moreno-
Kai Kara
France co-main event set the determine the interim
Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight titleholder.
“I believe that the UFC wants what’s best for our weight class,”
Pantoja said. “They want to keep us moving instead of waiting for
Figueiredo to be in fight shape. He’s far from his desired weight
and wouldn’t be able to fight so soon. Without a doubt, I’m close
to the top. I don’t know if Figueiredo will come back or if he’ll
move up in weight. I think he’d rather go up [to bantamweight] as
opposed to defending [the championship]. If he wants to come back,
he’ll need time for his body to get back to normal. I see myself
beating Perez and fighting for the belt next.”
Time will tell whether Pantoja’s foresight rings true. In the
meantime, Perez will not be an easy hurdle to clear. The
Team Oyama representative holds a 6-2 record inside the Octagon
that includes finishes of
Jussier
Formiga,
Jordan
Espinosa,
Jose Torres
and
Carls
John de Tomas. A former Tachi Palace Fights champion, Perez’s
only losses in the UFC have come to the aforementioned Figueiredo
and
Joseph
Benavidez. However, he has not competed since November
2020.
“I think it will be a good fight for the fans. Neither of us will
run,” Pantoja said. “I know he has been inactive for a long time
due to several cancelations, as well as a bad weight cut, but I
know he’s complete, with finishes against top fighters. We’ll go to
battle to see who deserves to fight for the belt. I’m not sure how
I’ll win. The important thing is that if I show up fully prepared,
I will be the winner, whether it’s by knockout, submission or
decision.”
Pantoja credits his move to
American Top Team for the continued growth and development in
his game. The Coconut Creek, Florida, camp offers “The Cannibal”
access to world-class coaches and affords him the opportunity to
train alongside a number of fellow thoroughbreds, including current
Rizin Fighting Federation champion
Kyoji
Horiguchi and reigning
One
Championship titleholder
Adriano
Moraes.
“I’ve been here for a long time, and I can see how much I’ve
evolved as a professional athlete,” Pantoja said. “I have the best
possible training partners out of a very large team.”
It has proven to be an ideal fit for Pantoja, perhaps more so from
a personal standpoint.
“I’ve been in Florida for four years now,” he said. “Moving to
American Top Team was a very important decision for myself and my
family—my kids. Nowadays, my children are doing well in school.
They speak English fluently and excel in school sports. I’m
building a great future for them. I was recently awarded my green
card. I’m on the right path to build our future in the United
States. I feel privileged to have this job and to always be with my
children and my wife.”