Las Vegas— Flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja notched his third title defense at UFC 310 in Las Vegas on Saturday night, putting him among exclusive company in the promotion’s 125lb history.
That in turn led Pantoja (29-5) to make a rather interesting callout: with the threats in his division mostly neutralized, and with RIZIN champ Kai Asakura choked out in the second round of UFC 310’s main event, Pantoja shifted his gaze to retired flyweight GOAT Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson.
“I feel I’m tied, with more victories in that division. And then I figured out, maybe, that’s why I talked about Demetrious Johnson. I’m sorry if I’m wrong to say about that, all my respect for him. Sorry again, but I did that. I cleaned the division. I beat the number one and number two, multiple times,” Pantoja later explained, speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press. “UFC brings me another guy, another champ from all across the world, and I finished him. That’s why it makes sense, that’s the fight that makes sense for me. And the flyweight [division] is so different right now.”
According to Pantoja, “the time when Demetrious Johnson fought, it’s not like that. My last four fights, I fought with a Mexican, Australian, American, and Japanese. Everything’s changed. You have good fighters all across the world. Time’s like now, it’s so hard to keep this belt. Tough times right now. It’s not like before.”
The Brazilian went on to pay his respect to “Mighty Mouse” once again, but it seems like all he wants for Christmas is a fight with Johnson, the inaugural UFC flyweight champ. “All respect to Demetrios Johnson, I respect him, I love him because he opened all the doors for us. But that fight is what I want. If you call and say to me, ‘what do you want for Christmas?’ I want that fight.”
When it was pointed out to Pantoja that Demetrious Johnson is older now, he replied saying “I’m older too.” Johnson turned 38 in August, Pantoja 34 back in April.
What Pantoja would get out of a fight with an aging Johnson was another question put forward to him. “I think nothing changes. Just to prove to myself, who’s the best fighter in the world. That’s why I fought tonight. And that’s so special for me, because I’m fighting for the UFC, and the UFC made me the main event in Las Vegas for the last [PPV] event of the year. To prove to all the world I’m the best fighter in the flyweight division.”
Pantoja even believes he might be higher on the Pound-for-Pound list. Not ahead of Jon Jones of course. Pantoja laughed when “Bones” was brought up, parroting Dana White’s line about getting AI for the rankings. As for Johnson, “I proved myself. I proved I’m the best of the best. That’s what I want, that’s why I keep fighting. And that’s why I want to fight with Demetrious Johnson. I’ll give him six months if he needs to come back, eight months. I don’t know. But he can skip the line right now and fight for the belt — but I don’t know if he’s ready for me.”
Watch the full UFC 310 post-fight press conference with Alexandre Pantoja above.
