Alexandre Pantoja surprises by revealing sadness after victory over opponent at UFC 296

Alexandre pantoja after victory in UFC 277. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

Alexandre pantoja, flyweight champion (up to 56,7kh.) of the UFC, he did not feel happy when win your fight against Brandon royval No. UFC 296, held this Saturday (16/12) in Las Vegas. The Brazilian, who made the first defense of his title, said in an interview with The MMA Hour that he was sad to have broken the heart of the North American, who was his friend and rival.

“It's very difficult to do that to someone. You break his heart, but this is my sport. I love what I do. I love fighting. If Royval watches this, I want to thank Royval. Much respect for him. He gave a wonderful fight and I love this guy,” said Pantoja.

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The Brazilian fighter dominated most of the fight against Royval, who tried to surprise with striking and occasional takedowns. However, Pantoja knew how to control the situation and apply effective blows to win by unanimous decision from the judges.

The result expanded Pantoja's legacy in the flyweight category (up to 56,7kg). The Brazilian reaches the mark of five consecutive victories and remains undefeated since 2020.

Royval, in turn, lost again after being submitted by Alexandre in the first fight between the two, which took place in 2021. The North American showed a lot of determination and resistance in the fight against the Brazilian champion.