MMA legend Alexandre Pantoja tried to come out on top in the rematch and regain the flyweight title (up to 56,7 kg), but fell short. In the main event of UFC 331 , held last Saturday (19) in California (USA), the former king of the category engaged in a war with Joshua Van , the current champion, and lost again , now in a real fight. After 25 minutes of action, the Brazilian lost by unanimous decision, but anyone who thinks the result made him lose motivation is mistaken.
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On the contrary, on his official Instagram account, Pantoja has already spoken out after the tough setback suffered against his Burmese rival. Having faced numerous adversities throughout his life and overcome them to be where he is today, the Brazilian guaranteed that he will bounce back. So much so that the veteran used the legendary character Rocky Balboa as inspiration, not only to indicate that he is dealing with defeat head-on, but also to make it clear that he will never give up on his dream of becoming flyweight champion again.
“I’m going to tell you something you already know: the world isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a nasty, cruel place that doesn’t care how tough you are. It will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward,” wrote the former UFC champion.
“It’s about how much you can take and keep trying. That’s how winning is done. Now, if you know your worth, then go after what you deserve, but you have to be willing to take a beating. And no pointing fingers, saying you can’t do it because of him, her, or whoever. Only cowards do that” – Rocky Balboa. Thank you all for your words and continued support,” he concluded.
Alexandre Pantoja at a UFC event. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC
Pantoja's records in the UFC
A veteran of MMA, Alexandre Pantoja made his mark in the flyweight division as a dominant champion. The Brazilian holds the record for most wins in UFC flyweight history (14), by stoppage (8) and submission (6).
Pantoja's history in MMA
Alexandre Pantoja , 36, is a legend in MMA. The Brazilian began his career in the sport in 2007, debuted in the UFC in 2017, became flyweight champion in 2023, and defended the title four times.
In this discipline, the athlete built a record of 30 wins and seven losses. His main career victories were over Brandon Moreno (three times), Brandon Royval (twice), Kai Asakura , Kai Kara-France (twice), Manel Kape, and Steve Erceg.
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