Alexandre Pantoja currently holds the distinction of having the most title defenses among active UFC champions, especially now that Islam Makhachev has vacated the lightweight belt to pursue success in the welterweight division. However, his former teammate, Muhammad Mokaev, doesn`t believe Pantoja should follow the same path by moving up in weight.
Since claiming the flyweight championship from Brandon Moreno in 2023, Pantoja has successfully defended his belt three times against Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg, and Kai Asakura. He is scheduled for his next title defense during International Fight Week on June 28th, co-headlining UFC 317 against Kai Kara-France, a fighter he previously defeated on The Ultimate Fighter back in 2016.
Despite Pantoja`s dominance at flyweight, Mokaev advises him against moving up to bantamweight to challenge Merab Dvalishvili. Instead, Mokaev suggests Pantoja should focus on solidifying his legacy within the 125-pound division.
“I see articles suggesting he should fight Merab, but I disagree,” Mokaev stated to MMA Fighting. “He isn’t big enough to compete with Merab based on size. Frankly, I don’t even see myself, a flyweight, as big enough for Merab. Merab is exceptionally strong for a bantamweight. I’m saying this realistically, not out of any dislike for Pantoja, but reflecting on my own size relative to Merab as well.”
“Merab is a large individual. Even someone like Deiveson Figueiredo, who was a big flyweight, struggled at 135 pounds. Pantoja is smaller than Figueiredo. I believe it would be better for him to remain at flyweight and establish his legacy there instead of moving up. Gaining the necessary weight would take time.”
Mokaev, who is set to compete this Saturday against late-notice replacement Thomas Assis at 971 FC 2 in Dubai, shared that he has an excellent relationship with Pantoja. Mokaev trained at American Top Team (ATT) in Florida early in his UFC career but chose to leave the gym partly to avoid potentially facing other 125-pound fighters from the same camp, including Pantoja and Kyoji Horiguchi.
“I genuinely like Pantoja; he’s a fantastic person both inside and outside the octagon,” Mokaev commented. “He supported me when I first joined American Top Team. The primary reason I didn’t return was that it’s his home gym. Once I started climbing the world rankings, I didn’t want to cause him any discomfort. That gym is his territory.”
Mokaev is focused on earning his way back into contention within the UFC by defeating potential opponents. The undefeated fighter reportedly held a 7-0 record in the UFC but was released following what were described as “some mistakes.”
Mokaev disputes claims that he was “difficult to work with” and retains fond memories of his training sessions with both Pantoja and Horiguchi.
“I consider Horiguchi the strongest flyweight at the moment,” Mokaev remarked. “He has a slightly different style. Pantoja is exceptionally good on the ground. We had very, very competitive grappling rounds. They were extremely close. This was when I was preparing for my second UFC bout against Charles Johnson. Usually, I’d go to the gym and dominate someone, but with him, it was incredibly close.”
“Controlling Horiguchi is challenging. He’s compact and moves like a sprinter. Japanese fighters often have powerful legs and are very explosive. In contrast, Pantoja is more like a marathon runner – building momentum slowly and wearing you down. Horiguchi can maintain a high pace for three or four rounds.”
Horiguchi recently withdrew from a fight against Tagir Ulanbekov scheduled for June 21st, which would have marked his UFC return after winning titles in RIZIN and Bellator. The Japanese star could potentially earn a title shot against Pantoja with a win or two in the octagon, but Mokaev declined to predict the outcome of such a potential fight.
“Brother, you’re putting me in a tough spot,” Mokaev said with a laugh. “If I ever went back to American Top Team, they’d both ‘smash’ me! They’d lock the cage, and I’d have Horiguchi and Pantoja in front of me if I said something wrong [laughs]. Honestly, they have two distinct styles. The fighter who imposes their pressure first will have the advantage. Pantoja likes to touch gloves and immediately go at you like a dog. Against Horiguchi, that’s difficult because he’s very agile and moves exceptionally well.”
“I just feel my time is coming soon. As for Pantoja, after maybe one or two more title defenses, I believe he will have cemented his legacy, and it might be time for him to move on [laughs],” Mokaev concluded.
