As the biggest moment of his professional life approaches, Alexandre Pantoja is not making it about him. He faces champion Brandon Moreno for the flyweight title Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in the co-main event of UFC 290 and has every reason to be boastful and cocky.
He's 2-0 against Moreno, having submitted him in 2016 during "The Ultimate Fighter," and won a one-sided victory, which included a pair of 30-26 scores, in a rematch in Chile in 2018.
Pantoja has won three bouts in a row, two of them by submission, and four of his last five. He's kind of been forgotten despite his success as Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo fought four times, volleying the title back and forth. And Moreno added a championship win over Kai Kara-France.
Pantoja has been waiting — and waiting and waiting — but he’s handled the wait like a star. He didn’t accuse Moreno of ducking him. He didn’t blast the UFC. He didn’t intimate there was a grand scheme against him as so many of his peers in similar situations have done over the years.
Since Pantoja’s win over Moreno in 2018, Moreno rebuilt himself not only into a champion but also a star.
Moreno is one of the most popular fighters on the UFC roster, competing in a division which nearly was dropped a few years ago because of a perceived lack of interest.
Outside of his native Brazil, Pantoja isn’t nearly as known or beloved as Moreno, but there isn’t a hint of bitterness or jealousy inside of him. He nearly had a title shot against Moreno, but injured his knee badly in a 2021 fight with Brandon Royval and needed surgery.
“Moreno has changed a lot [since we last fought],” Pantoja told Yahoo Sports. “He’s worked in the gym and he’s made himself into a great fighter, a great champion. And he sets a great example because he’s kept his feet on the ground and been a friendly, accessible guy even though he’s had all of this success.”
Moreno is a little better than a 2-1 favorite at BetMGM over Pantoja despite Pantoja’s victories over him, which says a lot about the perception Moreno has built of himself since that fight. He’s fought 10 times since losing to Pantoja and has gone 7-1-2 which includes a 3-1-1 mark in UFC title fights.
Given the chance, it seems like he’d speak for a couple of hours extolling Moreno’s virtues as both a man and a champion. Don’t, though, mistake what he’s doing.
He’s given credit where he believes it’s due, but have no doubt that he believes fully in himself and expects to wake up Sunday with the flyweight title belt next to him in his bed.
It’s mental as much as physical at the highest levels, and Pantoja insists he’s prepared as well as he can.
All the talent in the world won’t help if one withdraws when the bright lights are on and the bell rings in front of a vociferous, sold-out crowd.
“We have to conduct ourselves as professionals, as champions, and I’m happy to do that, but you have to be prepared to compete at your best when the moment is biggest,” he said. “This is a really big point, a big moment, in my life and I’m very appreciative of it. I hope that T-Mobile is sold out and that everyone in Brazil is watching this. This is a big deal for any fighter.
“But I am deserving of fighting for the title. I know what I can do. This has been my life for almost 30 years and I’ve worked hard for everything I’ve gotten and to get myself to this point. I’m ready. I don’t feel pressure. I don’t feel nervous. I feel ready to give a great performance.”
He said his knee is finally healed and he’s fully confident in it. And in typical fashion, he managed to find the good in a significant injury that cost him a title fight.
He went into the fight with Royval injured, but knew he was close to earning a title shot, so he didn’t pull out. He aggravated it and was forced to get surgery, but said it wasn’t all bad.
He served as the back-up fighter when Moreno and Figueiredo fought for the fourth time in January. That gave him confidence his knee was back where he needed it.
“That knee was so bad [when I injured it], but I got to spend a lot more time with my family because of it,” he said. “And I’ve worked so hard to make so powerful my leg now.
“That’s a gift that God has given to me. I’m 100 percent now. It’s made my mind stronger and my body stronger. I learned more as I waited for this opportunity and I can’t wait until Moreno and I put on a great show for the fans.”
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UFC 290: Alexandre Pantoja's time has finally come and he's eager to create fireworks vs. Brandon Moreno - Yahoo Sports
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