Alexandre Pantoja solidified his place as one of the greatest flyweight fighters of all time with his recent victory at UFC 310, where he defeated newcomer Kai Asakura by submission in the second round. This win marked his third successful title defense. However, Pantoja is now facing challenges in finding his next opponent. Deiveson Figueiredo has expressed interest in dropping down to flyweight to face Pantoja, but the flyweight champion remains doubtful about Figueiredo’s intentions.
Figueiredo, a two-time former flyweight champion now competing in bantamweight, wants to return to flyweight after UFC 310 due to a shortage of contenders. In a recent interview with Laerte Viana, Figueiredo stated that he is the best option for Pantoja and is ready to gain weight again. However, Pantoja remains uncertain if the 36-year-old can successfully return to flyweight. In an interview with Ariel Helwani, Pantoja expressed,
“That’s one of the fights I want. He beat me one time and I know 100% I can beat him. It’s gonna be like a danger for the UFC to put him to make the weight right now. Maybe it’s a danger for Figueiredo to try to do that right now.”
🫡🔥Alexandre Pantoja is down for a rematch with Deiveson Figueiredo, but he's skeptical if Figueiredo can actually make the Flyweight limit:
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) December 11, 2024
“That’s one of the fights I want. He beat me one time and I know 100% I can beat him…
It’s gonna be like a danger for the UFC to put… pic.twitter.com/3ItQIPT7Lj
It’s still uncertain whether the bantamweight fighter will drop down for a flyweight title fight. Both fighters have agreed to the matchup on social media, which could potentially lead to the fight. However, the flyweight champion also called out the best flyweight, Demetrious Johnson, but Johnson declined the offer to come back for a fight.
Alexandre Pantoja Looks To Train With Demetrious Johnson
After calling out “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, who had 11 successful UFC title defenses, Pantoja expressed his eagerness to face the former flyweight champion. However, Johnson declined in a YouTube video, stating he’s happy living his normal life and doesn’t want to return. Undeterred, Pantoja now hopes to train with Johnson. In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Pantoja said,
“I just need to train with him…that dream I have in my life, fight with the best fighters in the world. Demetrious Johnson he is the best one. Maybe I’ll text him and we can train together”
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As of now, Johnson has not responded to Pantoja’s request to train together. If the two best flyweights do team up, fans are sure to enjoy the pairing. However, it remains to be seen whether Johnson will reply or not.
Also Read: How Much Did Alexandre Pantoja Earn For Beating Kai Asakura At UFC 310?
