Alexandre Pantoja made short work of a former UFC title challenger on Saturday at UFC 236, ending Wilson Reis’ night early.
Wilson Reis is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who was a Bellator veteran at featherweight and bantamweight before entering the UFC with a 16-4 record. He was 6-2 in the Octagon when he received a title shot against flyweight kingpin Demetrious Johnson. A loss to Mighty Mouse started a three-fight losing streak before defeating Ben Nguyen in December.
Alexandre Pantoja was an RFA champion who defeated UFC veteran Damacio Page to earn a spot of the flyweight season of TUF. Pantoja defeated Brandon Moreno and Kai Kara-France on the show and is 4-1 in the Octagon since then. He scored a first-round submission over Ulka Sasaki in his last contest.
The pair collided at UFC 236 in Atlanta, GA on Saturday in an increasingly rare flyweight contest.
The pair went right to work in their televised preliminary bout, Pantoja going upstairs with a kick, and both men throwing hands while showing quick movement, as expected from flyweights. Reis tied things up with nearly two minutes gone in the opening frame, driving Pantoja in to the fence and looking for a trip. While it didn’t come then, the takedown would happen moments later. Pantoja, however, quickly regained his feet. A bit of a confidence boost, perhaps.
Moments later, a freshly reinvigorated Alexandre Pantoja connected with a right hand. The perfectly timed punch floored Wilson Reis, and Pantojas was on him in a flash. A flurry of punches on the downed fighter had Reis cover up; he’d reach for a leg in vain, but ultimately, the ref was forced in to make the save.
Pantoja out of NOWHERE! What a KO! #UFC236 @PantojaMMA pic.twitter.com/5lQmeRVtLB
— UFC (@ufc) April 14, 2019
The win improves Pantoja’s streak to three straight under the UFC banner. And coming against a former flyweight title challenger, it is arguably his most impressive to date.
Alexandre Pantojas def. Wilson Reis by TKO, Round 1, 2:58
