What is Alexandre Pantoja record and best career stats? The Ultimate Fighting Champions (UFC) has had its share of stars throughout the years. Perhaps one of the brightest stars currently fighting in the UFC is UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja. He is currently on a six-fight winning streak, set to take on Kai Asakura at UFC 310.
The 34-year-old has been on an upward trajectory, especially in his UFC career. In this piece, we will learn more about Alexandre Pantoja, his UFC career, his path to the UFC flyweight championship, and what comes next for him.
Who is Alexandre Pantoja?
Alexandre Pantoja, born April 16, 1990, is the current holder of the UFC flyweight title. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Arraial), he has been a rising star in the company. He has a UFC fight winning streak of six going currently, his last loss coming via unanimous decision to Askar Askarov at UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2.
The native of Rio de Janeiro got his first real chance on the combat show the Ultimate Fighter 2017, setting the stage for him to be a top contender for the UFC flyweight championship. Pantoja has memorable fights against Manel Kape, Brandon Moreno, Eric Shelton, Sean O’Malley, Steve Erceg, Osiris Maia, Neil Seery, and Brandon Royval.
His start in the fight world is an interesting one as well. From his time with Shooto Brazil to his battle against Kai Kara France teammates and his rivalry with Brandon Moreno (including a second-round submission win). Let’s get into it and see who Alexandre Pantoja is and how Pantoja won the UFC flyweight championship that he currently holds.
Alexandre Pantoja Career Record and Stats
Alexandre Pantoja has a career professional fight record of 28-5-0. Born on April 16, 1990, Pantoja fights out of his native Rio de Janeiro. Of his 5 losses, three of them have come via unanimous decision. He lost his first UFC fight to Dustin Ortiz via unanimous decision at UFC 220. His second loss came to Deiveson Figueiredo via unanimous decision at UFC 240, though it was fight of the night. Finally, his last loss came to Askarov at UFC Fight Night, also via unanimous decision.
His current record of 28-5-0 is bolstered by a six-fight winning streak. His latest win came on May 04, 2024, in a victory at UFC 301. He defeated Steve Erceg via unanimous decision based largely on his ability to take Steve Erceg down. His next fight in the UFC will be on December 07, 2024, against Kai Asakura.
Early Career in MMA
Alexandre Pantoja had his first MMA fight at Hikari Fight on July 21, 2007. He defeated Antonio Carlos via submission armbar, earning his first win on his first MMA fight show. After three fights, Alexandre Pantoja would move on to Shooto Brazil in March 2009.
During his time with Shooto Brazil, Pantoja had a few memorable fights. He earned a TKO doctor stoppage over Gabriel Wolf in his debut, TKO doctor stoppage in his next fight against Bruno Moreno (no relation to Brandon Moreno), and a unanimous decision at Shooto Brazil 13 against Michael William Costa.
During his time with Shooto Brazil and as holder of the RFA flyweight championship, Alexandre Pantoja showed star potential. Winning by submission rear naked choke, neck crank, KO punches, split decision, rear naked choke, TKO punches, triangle choke, and TKO elbows and punches, Pantoja showed that he could win any fight in any way.
It is interesting to note that two of his 5 losses came prior to his time in the UFC. His second loss came at Shooto Brazil 16 against Jussier Formiga, who won by decision unanimous.
Jose Aldo's and Alexandre Pantoja's friendship is timeless 🇧🇷👑#UFC310 | Saturday, 10 PM ET | ESPN+ PPV 🍿 https://t.co/XX1YuUOYuv
(📸: pantoja_oficial/IG, @ufc) pic.twitter.com/FJHtCCr9Iw
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 3, 2024
Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions
Alexandre Pantoja was announced as one of the 16 contestants of the UFC show The Ultimate Fighter in May 2016. The winner would have a chance to fight for the UFC flyweight championship against champion Demetrious Johnson. Pantoja was part of Team Cejudo, headed by former flyweight champion Henry Cejudo.
The top-ranked fighter for Team Cejudo, Alexandre Pantoja squared off in his first UFC fight against Brandon Moreno. The two developed a bit of a rivalry, making Pantoja’s second-round submission win over Brandon Moreno even sweeter.
After defeating Brandon Moreno by submission, Alexandre Pantoja moved on to win by unanimous decision in the semifinals. Ultimately, Pantoja lost via decision unanimous to Hiromasa Ougikubo in the semifinals. For his efforts, including the impressive submission win over Brandon Moreno, Alexandre Pantoja earned a UFC contract.
Championships and Accomplishments
Alexandre Pantoja is already a decorated fighter in the UFC and beyond. He currently holds the UFC flyweight championship and is tied for the second-most title fight wins in UFC flyweight history with Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo. His most recent win at UFC 301 via decision unanimous over Steve Erceg has set the stage for his next fight, coming up at UFC 310.
Alexandre Pantoja is quickly approaching a number of milestones. He has the second-most submission wins (4), sixth-most submission attempts (11), third-most wins (12), and has the third-longest winning streak in division history.
UFC 310 Preview: Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura
The next fight for Alexandre Pantoja comes at UFC 310 in a title defense against Kai Asakura. Pantoja has won his last three fights by either unanimous decision or split decision, though he did beat Alex Perez by neck crank submission and Brandon Royval before that via a submission rear naked choke.
What is interesting is that this is the UFC debut for Asakura. He is a two-time Rizin bantamweight champion and defeated former Bellator champion Juan Archuleta by second-round TKO.
Alexandre Pantoja won his championship in a split decision over Brandon Moreno on July 8, 2023, defending his title successfully via decision unanimous against Royval on December 16, 2023. With his recent decision unanimous win over Steve Erceg, Pantoja is aiming to set the record for most title defenses in the division.
Alexandre Pantoja is already the favorite in his UFC 310 fight. Though he has proficiency with the rear naked choke submission, it is more likely that it will be a decision split or unanimous. He has the power to create a doctor stoppage via KO punches, but he is a fighter that generally goes the distance since debuting in the UFC.
Alexandre Pantoja: Memorable Fights of the UFC Flyweight Champion
Alexandre Pantoja has had his share of memorable fights since joining the UFC. He has won via split decision, unanimous decision, submission, doctor stoppage, and even a first-round knockout or two. He has even won via technical submission triangle choke, beating Damacio Page at RFA vs. Legacy FC 1.
UFC on Fox: Shevchenko vs. Pena (Split Decision vs. Eric Shelton)
When talking about the best Alexandre Pantoja fights, it helps to start with the first UFC victory of his career. Fighting in Denver, CO, the young fighter came into his debut bout against another young unproven in Eric Shelton.
The fight went the distance, going all three rounds. Alexandre Pantoja earned the win, garnering a split decision victory. Winning by split decision isn’t flashy but getting his UFC career off on the right foot was big.
UFC 277: Pena vs. Nunes 2 (Submission Neck Crank vs. Alex Perez)
Alexandre Pantoja really made his name known with his performance at UFC 277. Though Las Vegas has been the hub of the UFC, Pantoja made Dallas, TX his coming out party against Alex Perez.
A first-round victory via neck crank submission was impressive enough. The performance bonus was nice, too. But it also got him a UFC flyweight championship shot against Brandon Moreno, something he lost out on once due to knee injury.
UFC 290: Volanovski vs. Rodriguez (Decision Split vs. Brandon Moreno)
How can a decision split victory be worthwhile? Well, it was the first opportunity Alexandre Pantoja had at the UFC flyweight championship. Despite there being no stoppage, the two rivals thrilled the Las Vegas crowd over five rounds.
Not only did the win earn Pantoja the UFC flyweight championship, but it also garnered Fight of the Night accolades. Pantoja had arrived, earning his first MMA championship and setting the stage for his next two fights.
UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Gastelum (Submission Rear Naked Choke vs. Brandon Royval)
Alexandre Pantoja made his first flyweight title defense against the man he defeated by submission rear naked choke at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Gastelum, Brandon Royval. This one went quite a bit longer, ultimately going the full five rounds.
Pantoja would ultimately walk away with a unanimous decision victory, largely thanks to his eight takedowns and the lone submission attempt of the fight. Close at times, Pantoja got his first defense out of the way.
UFC 301: Pantoja vs. Erceg (Decision Unanimous vs. Steve Erceg)
The most recent fight for Alexandre Pantoja came against Steve Erceg at UFC 301, an event headlined by this fight (the first headliner appearance for Pantoja). And like his previous title defense, this one also went the distance.
Though it was far from the most exciting fight of his career, it is an important one for Pantoja. He tied for the most successful flyweight title defenses and could set the mark in his next fight against Kai Asakura.
Alexandre Pantoja Net Worth
Just two years ago Pantoja was working in Uber Eats, so his rise was meteoric. The net worth of Alexandre Pantoja is up for dispute. His residence in Arraial do Cabo, Rio De Janeiro is somewhat modest despite his $1 million-plus net worth. Though he is from Rio de Janeiro, he currently lives in the United States.
Alexandre Pantoja has a number of endorsements, but he largely makes his money through his UFC fight contract. He earned a performance bonus on July 30, 2022, for his neck crank submission win in the first round against Perez. He has a number of performance bonuses and Fight of the Night bonuses as well.
🤯 Alexandre Pantoja was working for Uber Eats only two fights before he became a UFC champion and quit just after he defeated Brandon Royval in 2021 after getting a $50,000 POTN bonus.
3 years later and he’s a flyweight champion with two title defences and ranked 11th in the… pic.twitter.com/JpsBtacBpf
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) December 3, 2024
Future Prospects for Pantoja
Right now, the sky is the limit for Alexandre Pantoja. As the current UFC flyweight champion, his next fight is typically the main event. Though he is a distance fighter, winning by unanimous and split decision a lot, he is capable of shutting down anyone (like his submission rear naked choke win over Royval).
For Alexandre Pantoja, his future largely depends on his next fight. If he defeats Asakura in the latter’s debut, he will set the record for the most title defenses by a UFC flyweight champion. Whether in Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi, or one of the many UFC destinations, the Rio de Janeiro native has left his mark.
If he can manage to steal another Fight of the Night victory – and a submission rear naked choke is always a possibility – the next fight for Alexandre Pantoja will be a big one. It will also mean much greater earning power in an already promising career.
