What’s Next for Alexandre Pantoja?

Alexandre Pantoja is the current Flyweight champion and has defended his belt on three occasions. His mixed martial arts abilities have shone through in his victories over Kai Asakura, Brandon Royval, and Brandon Moreno. In his last fight, a submission victory over former Rizin champion Kai Asakura, Pantoja showcased his comprehensive mixed martial arts skill set and his ability to blend disciplines seamlessly, reminiscent of, flyweight GOAT, Demetrious Johnson.

Pantoja has called for a fight against Johnson, stating that Johnson needs to prove he is the greatest of all time. However, this matchup is unlikely, as Johnson has declined the challenge. In his response to Pantoja's callout, Johnson laughed and said, "What do I have to prove?"

Many fans are advocating for Kai Kara-France to get the next title shot. This would be a rematch from The Ultimate Fighter, where Pantoja defeated Kara-France by unanimous decision. However, Kara-France's recent record of 1-2 in his last three fights makes him a controversial contender. Nevertheless, due to the shallow depth of the Flyweight division, this record might be sufficient to earn him a title opportunity, particularly given his popularity among fans.

From a realistic perspective, Pantoja might benefit from waiting to face the winner of a bout between Manel Kape and Brandon Royval, as both contenders would be deserving of a title shot. Another intriguing option could be a fight against former champion Deiveson Figueiredo, who has expressed willingness to return to Flyweight after a moderately successful run at Bantamweight.

Looking ahead, one more decisive win could make it difficult to deny Pantoja an opportunity to compete for the Bantamweight championship. Having nearly cleared out the Flyweight division, Pantoja's skill level might be sufficient to challenge top Bantamweights like Umar Nurmagomedov or Merab Dvalishvili.

Overall, Pantoja's skill set remains severely underrated by the UFC. He is undoubtedly among the highest-calibre mixed martial artists in the organisation. While his next bout will likely see him defending the Flyweight belt, the possibility of achieving double-champion status could be just around the corner.