.jpg)
8 hours ago
2
Alexandre Pantoja recently expressed his disappointment with the UFC's pound-for-pound rankings. Pantoja believes he should be ranked just below Islam Makhachev, considering his fight records.
'The Cannibal' has just completed another title defense. Last Saturday at UFC 317, he defended his flyweight title by defeating Kai Kara-France with a third-round submission. During the post-fight press conference for UFC 317, a reporter asked Pantoja for his thoughts on the UFC's P4P rankings.
In response, Pantoja voiced his frustrations and stated:
"I'm just behind Islam Makhachev. [My ranking] doesn't make sense. Five fights for title, eight victories in streak — numbers don't lie, brother. The only guy I accept is Islam Makhachev because he has numbers... You put Jack [Della] Maddalena above me? You think I need to beat Jack Maddalena to get his position? It's time to respect flyweights."Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
Check out Alexandre Pantoja's comments below (13:02):
According to the last updated UFC Pound for Pound rankings, Makhachev holds the top position, while Pantoja is ranked ninth. He is positioned below notable fighters such as Merab Dvalishvili, Ilia Topuria, Dricus du Plessis, Magomed Ankalaev, Alexander Volkanovski, Jack Della Maddalena, and Tom Aspinall.
Alexandre Pantoja reiterates stance on potential Merab Dvalishvili fight
Alexandre Pantoja has set several records in the UFC flyweight division after his victory at UFC 317. He now holds the records for the most wins (14), most finishes (8), and most submission victories (6) in the 125-pound division. Many speculate that Pantoja should move up a weight class to fight Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight title.
During the aforementioned press conference, 'The Cannibal' also addressed the potential fight against Dvalishvili, saying:
"Merab is a huge guy... He's so good [at] heart. He deserves [the bantamweight] belt, you know, and I have my division man. I'm a 125-pound champion. Why I [will] think about going to the bantamweight? I don't think about that. If I go to bantamweight, then [I will have to] leave my belt. No way, man. You need [to] beat me in the octagon to leave this belt." [23:34]Why did you not like this content?
- Clickbait / Misleading
- Factually Incorrect
- Hateful or Abusive
- Baseless Opinion
- Too Many Ads
- Other
Was this article helpful?
Thank You for feedback
About the author
Follow One Championship News, Schedule & Results at Sportskeeda.
Edited by Nilaav Gogoi
English (US)