News Alexandre Pantoja to defend Flyweight belt May 4th at UFC 301

[jeskola]

Who should he fight? Could be too quick a turnaround for winner of Albazi vs Moreno at under 3 months. Kai Kara-France just lost to both those dudes. Nicolau just lost to Royval. Probably the winner of Nicolau-Kape though...

UFC Flyweight King Alexandre Pantoja Discloses Date, Location for Next Title Defense

Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja is seemingly booked for his second title defense.

www.sherdog.com

"Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja is seemingly booked for his second title defense.

Pantoja recently defended his flyweight strap for the first time against Brandon Royval in a rematch at UFC 296 in December. The Brazilian put on a dominant showing, this time securing a unanimous decision victory against “Raw Dawg.”

Interestingly, less than a month following his first title defense on Dec. 16, “The Cannibal” is already booked for his next title defense.

Pantoja revealed details regarding his return on Friday while attending an event featuring the Brazilian soccer team Clube de Regatas do Flamengo in Orlando.

“I’ll be defending the belt in Rio, on May 4,” Pantoja told soccer striker Gabriel Barbosa. However, the champ did not mention his opponent.

UFC 301 is scheduled to go down on May 4 in Rio De Janeiro and would be an ideal title defense location for Pantoja, who hails from Arrial do Cabo, a coastal town near Rio.

With Moreno and Royval slated to face each other at UFC Mexico on Feb. 24 and Manel Kape recently missing weight for his matchup against Matheus Nicolau, it remains to be seen who could be next in line for the title shot."

 

[GreatSaintGuillotine]

Maybe they'll seal the deal with Kyoji and throw him in there

 

[ArtardFiesta]

he will probalby fight moreno/kai kai/kape next

flw is a real shallow division. he will fight whoever is available

 

[sdpdude9]

I doubt Moreno would be ready if he wins his next fight.

Royval probably wouldn’t be ready and also nobody wants to see that rematch right now.

Albazi is injured, not sure of severity but probably won’t be ready.

KKF is on a two fight losing streak.

Nicolau is coming off a vicious KO loss.

Kape missed weight and shouldn’t be rewarded.

So not sure who it would be. Maybe that Horiguchi rumor Is true, he would be a good match up.

 

[tornado362]

My best guess is they're hoping that Mokaev runs through Perez, and will put him in the title fight.

Or if Horiguchi gets signed


Also Albazi is out of the Moreno fight, now it's a rematch between Moreno and Royval, which doesn't really put the winner in a good spot to fight for the title due to recent losses to the champ

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

I doubt Moreno would be ready if he wins his next fight.

Royval probably wouldn’t be ready and also nobody wants to see that rematch right now.

Albazi is injured, not sure of severity but probably won’t be ready.

KKF is on a two fight losing streak.

Nicolau is coming off a vicious KO loss.

Kape missed weight and shouldn’t be rewarded.

So not sure who it would be. Maybe that Horiguchi rumor Is true, he would be a good match up.

Only name inside that I can imagine is Mokaev, but he's fighting in March

Horiguchi would be great.

Mouse is probably locked down, but wow, that would be the biggest thing they could do.

Don't know the Bellator contract statuses with the whole buyout thing, but names could be pulled from there, i guess. Always liked Sergio, but Patchy would be a good pull too

 

[BangBang]

An active champ. Kudos

 

[RockyLockridge]

he will probalby fight moreno/kai kai/kape next

flw is a real shallow division. he will fight whoever is available

Moreno is fighting royval in February. Hard to imagine they turn around for may.


Albazi may get next if he’s healthy for may

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

Moreno is fighting royval in February. Hard to imagine they turn around for may.


Albazi may get next if he’s healthy for may

We can only hope. I remember when he was first pulled for "undisclosed reasons," I actually thought maybe the UFC pulled him because he's the only good remaining contender, but turns out he's had a pretty serious neck injury.

 

[jeskola]

Maybe they'll seal the deal with Kyoji and throw him in there

That would be awesome

 

[Safton]

I don't see Moreno getting put in front of Pantoja again. Not in the near future, anyway. Pantoja has three wins over him, lol. I know one is "just an exhibition fight", but the UFC has a habit of treating TUF fights as fairly legitimate wins on a fighter's given record within the promotion. Two recent wins over Royval, too. Safe to say that whoever comes out of that match-up as the winner simply does not factor strongly into the title picture. Really annoyed Albazi fell out because he was a bit of much-needed fresh blood at the top of 125 and an intriguing stylistic match-up for Pantoja.

Other than that... there aren't really any compelling contenders.

• Kape is on a nice little streak, but is sitting just outside the Top 5 for the moment. More troubling is the fact that he already lost to Pantoja and has trouble making weight. The first one is whatever (as shown by Moreno and Royval still getting title shots), but the latter is not something you really want to get behind. IMO, Manel needs at least one marquee win against a Top 5 opponent where he makes weight without issue (even better if it's in a five-rounder) before he's trusted with a title shot.
• KKF should have won the Albazi fight, but is technically 0-2 lately. Even if the UFC chose to ignore his sketchy loss to Amir, he still got finished by the guy Pantoja beat for the title. Needs a win to get back on track.
• Nicholau was looking promising, but getting clipped by Royval really derailed him. Needs a win or two to get back on track.
• Mokaev is young and barely inside the Top 10 and even if he beats Perez -- which I nominally expect him to do -- that won't change. He'll be a streaking contender, but #7 fighting for the title with no big wins is not a great look as fun as that fight would be.

No good answers, honestly. I guess Mokaev would be my pick, but we'll see what happens. Hopefully Albazi returns soon.

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

Media - Kyoji Horiguchi intends on returning to UFC, already informed Rizin CEO, only obstacle is PFL contract status

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/1de09974930fbb1d1017ecd3f07775dc8134b312 "I don't have anyone I want to fight, I really want to win the [UFC] belt, that's all I'm thinking about." Horiguchi's intention to go to the UFC has already been communicated to RIZIN CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara. However...

forums.sherdog.com

The horiguchi rumor, in case no one's aware. Extremely recent comments by him about coming back

 

[Oscar Madison]

Epic -- just give the rest of the Card to the ladies.

UFC 300 Hangover...

 

[ComeChooDaddy]

Give him Kape since we’re going for the most drama-filled, potentially exciting title shots.

 

[Shogun515]

I like watching this guy fight, him vs Horiguchi would be sick

 

[PhotographyRaptor]

Doesn’t Weili want to move up and challenge at 125.

 

[SalvadorAllende]

Moreno is fighting royval in February. Hard to imagine they turn around for may.


Albazi may get next if he’s healthy for may

Isn't Moreno already like 0-3 vs Pantoja? That little fucker keeps ruining FLW division.

Albazi is the obvious choice but getting a TS after pulling out of a fight is weird.

If not.. Horiguchi FTW. That would be awesome.

 

[SalvadorAllende]

BTW.. cool to see Pantoja trying to stay active.

I think FLW is a solid division but it needs to keep things going.

 

[jeskola]

Mokaev fighting in March so that probably wont happen. Thinking more about mighty mouse or Horiguchi now.

 

[jko1355]

How bad FLW has looked since DJ left kind of discounts his entire career it realy was and is a very weak division