UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja is set to defend his title against Brandon Royval on December 16 at UFC 296, marking his first title defense since winning the belt from Brandon Moreno in July.
Alexandre Pantoja is gearing up for his first title defense. He’s ready to make some serious waves.
Pantoja clinched the UFC flyweight title in July. He did so by securing a split decision win over Brandon Moreno at UFC 290. The fight was a tight one, and Moreno is well-liked among fans. This led many to wonder if an immediate rematch was in the cards.
Despite Pantoja now holding a 3-0 record over Moreno, the rematch didn’t materialize. Instead, Pantoja is set to defend his title against another former adversary, Brandon Royval. The fight is scheduled for Dec. 16 at UFC 296.
Pantoja is on board with this decision. He believes it was the right call. “Royval definitely deserves to fight for the belt,” he said during an interview on The MMA Hour. Royval’s recent wins have been impressive. He’s knocked out Matheus Nicolau, a top-notch fighter from Brazil. He also finished Matt Schnell and beat Rogerio Bontarin.
Royval’s track record speaks for itself. He’s fought with everyone in the top 10. Pantoja believes he’s earned his shot at the belt. The match is a significant one for Pantoja, marking a different moment in his career.
Pantoja and Royval have history. They faced off two years ago at UFC Vegas 34. Pantoja came out on top, securing a second-round submission finish and a Performance of the Night bonus.
Since then, Pantoja has continued his winning streak. He submitted Alex Perez to earn his title shot. He then defeated Moreno to claim the belt, bagging two more bonuses along the way.
Royval hasn’t been slacking either. He’s racked up three consecutive wins and two Performance bonuses since his first fight with Pantoja.
Now, the two are set to clash once more. Given their current trajectories, Pantoja expects the rematch to be explosive. “Fight of the Night, for sure,” he said.
Pantoja has a lot of respect for Royval. He admires his aggressive style and excellent jiu-jitsu. But come December, that respect will be put on hold.
As he gears up for the fight, Pantoja admits to feeling a bit strange. “It’s very weird when you fight with somebody and at some point, you cross [out] the dream for somebody,” he said. The sport is a crazy one. Fighters fight for their families, their goals, their dreams. And yet, they have to go out there and kill.
Pantoja is ready to prove himself. He’s ready to show the world who he is and how good he can be. “That’s the only thing I try to do, is my best, and Dec. 16, I’m prepared for the best show of my life.”
Pantoja will defend his flyweight title against Royval at UFC 296 in Las Vegas. It’s set to be the co-main event.