UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja is fighting for recognition not just for himself, but for the entire 125-pound division.
Pantoja successfully defended his title for the fourth consecutive time on Saturday at UFC 317, securing a dominant submission victory over Kai Kara-France. His renowned toughness and elite grappling were fully evident as he absorbed Kara-France`s best strikes before imposing his will on the fight. Kara-France managed to survive until the third round, when Pantoja secured a fight-ending rear-naked choke.
Prior to Saturday`s bout, Pantoja was ranked No. 3 in the MMA Fighting Pound-for-Pound Rankings, tied with bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili. Following his impressive win, he believes there is only one fighter who should be ranked above him.
“It doesn`t make sense if I`m not No. 2,” Pantoja stated at the UFC 317 post-fight press conference. “I`m just behind Islam Makhachev. That doesn`t make sense. Five fights for a title, an eight-fight winning streak. This is my second submission win, four title defenses – the numbers don`t lie. The only fighter I accept being ranked ahead of me is Islam Makhachev, solely because he has the numbers.”
Pantoja continued, questioning the logic behind the rankings. “I try to understand the pound-for-pound rankings. Perhaps it`s about victories, maybe it`s victories over ranked opponents, I`m not sure. Some people seem to think I`d need to beat someone like Jack Della Maddalena to earn that spot – that`s crazy. I think it`s time to respect flyweight more. Joshua Van and Brandon Royval potentially delivered the Fight of the Night tonight. I also had a very good fight with Kai Kara-France. I think it`s time for people to change their mind. Flyweight is a very entertaining division, and I think things need to change.”
One fight before Pantoja`s victory, top flyweight contenders Joshua Van and Brandon Royval engaged in a thrilling three-round battle. Van ultimately won by unanimous decision, but both fighters earned Fight of the Night bonuses for delivering what could be one of the most exciting bouts of 2025.
Pantoja asserts that the 125-pound division has never been more exciting, regardless of opinions from “armchair experts.”
“I believe we are gradually changing the perception of the flyweight division,” Pantoja remarked. “Fights like the one between Joshua Van and Royval, my fight with Kai Kara-France, or those involving Brandon Moreno and Amir Albazi highlight the depth of talent. Last year, 2024, we saw many flyweight main events, which shows things are starting to shift. It`s great to see.”
He also addressed negativity surrounding the division. “I see negative comments about my division on platforms like YouTube and Instagram. I don`t need to address the haters directly; the hardcore fans defend us, telling the `casuals` to be quiet. People are starting to realize how good this division is. We are the ones who can change this perception, and I think the mutual respect within the division helps.”
Pantoja is currently on an eight-fight winning streak in the UFC, with notable victories over fighters like Kara-France, Royval, Moreno, Alex Perez, Manel Kape, and many other top contenders. While holding immense respect for Demetrious Johnson, widely considered the greatest flyweight of all time, Pantoja believes the division today boasts unprecedented depth and diversity.
Pantoja praised Joshua Van`s performance against Royval, saying, “Joshua Van is so good, who could argue?” He added concerning Van`s win, “He beat Royval. I think Royval made some mistakes, tried to rush too much, didn`t try to grapple a lot.”
Regarding a potential superfight with Demetrious Johnson, Pantoja reiterated his past interest: “I said before I really want to fight with him. He said he`s retired, he`s not coming back. Maybe it wouldn`t be good for him to come back now because the flyweight division is so different. This high level is different.”
“I respect all the guys who opened the doors for us,” Pantoja concluded, “but right now, especially in my division, you have the whole world represented. The top 10 includes fighters from Japan, Africa, Brazil, Russia, Australia, New Zealand. It`s amazing to be part of that.”
