Las Vegas — While Alexandre Pantoja is the reigning UFC flyweight champion, circumstances have dictated that he’s actually taking a back seat to his latest challenger, Kai Asakura, during the UFC 310 Fight Week.
That’s not a judgment on either man’s skillset. Rather, RIZIN‘s Asakura is the rare fighter to be granted an immediate title shot upon signing with the promotion. Outside of the acquisitions of PRIDE, WEC, and Strikeforce, that’s been nearly unheard of in recent UFC history.
That’s resulted in arguably more coverage of the challenger than champ for this specific fight.
“The UFC contracted Kai Asakura, I think that’s a very good movement. That’s the power of the UFC, bring a champ from another promotion,” Pantoja (28-5) observed during Wednesday’s UFC 310 media day, addressing outlets including Cageside Press. “This guy just left his belt to try the chance to fight for UFC, to try to fight for the belt.”
For Pantoja, who wants to fight the best, it’s an understandable move for Asakura as well, if the Japanese fighter wants to prove his quality.
“That’s what I think, if you want to be the best fighter in the world, that’s what he thinks [he is], you need to win the UFC belt. I respect all the promotions, but everybody knows about how big the UFC is, and if you want to show all the world you’re the best, you need the UFC belt.”
While admitting he hadn’t watched Asakura’s fights prior to being offered him as an opponent, Pantoja has clearly done his homework. When the name came up as a potential opponent, his reaction was that “I think it’s the perfect challenge. Super-excited for that fight. Very exciting fight, and someone I never figured I would have the chance to fight. And that’s what I want, I want to fight the best fighters in the world, and UFC gave me that opportunity.”
Though Kai Asakura is next for Alexandre Pantoja, in the UFC 310 main event no less, many had expected Muhamad Mokaev to have been granted this title shot. Instead, the youngster was cut (more accurately, not re-signed, but that’s splitting hairs) after earning a decision against Manel Kape earlier this year. Depending on who you ask, it boils down to attitude, or a lack of finishes, or Mokaev being “difficult,” or a pre-fight cheap shot he took against Kape. Either way, Mokaev is outside the promotion looking in, with a fight under the Brave CF banner coming up.
“I think Mokaev is very good, talented, he’s very young. He has a dream, he has a wish, try to be the youngest UFC champ,” observed Pantoja, who believes Mokaev will fight for UFC gold some day. “But they got decisions; I think he figured out about that. I think he has an opportunity to [come] back to the UFC. He’s a very good talent. Of course he’s someone who can show to the UFC he’s a very good fighter, and of course he has a chance to fight for the belt.”
Watch the full UFC 310 media day appearance by Alexandre Pantoja above.
