No lively UFC champion has extra title defenses than Alexandre Pantoja now that Islam Makhachev has vacated the light-weight belt to pursue welterweight glory, however Muhammad Mokaev doesn’t assume his former teammate ought to do the identical.
Pantoja has efficiently defended the flyweight title 3 times by beating Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg and Kai Asakura since taking the belt away from Brandon Moreno in 2023. He’s slated to defend his throne throughout Worldwide Battle Week on June 28, when he co-headlines UFC 317 in opposition to Kai Kara-France — a person he’d beforehand overwhelmed on The Final Fighter in 2016.
That mentioned, Mokaev advises him in opposition to shifting to bantamweight to problem Merab Dvalishvili, and as an alternative develop his legacy at 125 kilos.
“I see articles about folks [saying] he ought to struggle Merab and I mentioned, no, he mustn’t struggle Merab,” Mokaev advised MMA Preventing. “He’s not sufficiently big to struggle Merab, size-wise. I’d say myself, I’m not an enormous [enough] flyweight to struggle Merab. Merab is robust for bantamweight, very sturdy. I say realistically, not simply hating on about Pantoja. I’m saying about myself.
“Merab is an enormous man. Like, even [Deiveson] Figueiredo, greatest flyweight, he struggled in 135. Pantoja is smaller than Figueiredo. And I’d say he’s higher to remain at flyweight and make a legacy as an alternative of him leaping over. It’s gonna take him time to place weight on.”
Mokaev, who returns to the cage Saturday to battle Alisher Gabdullin at 971 FC 2 in Dubai, mentioned he has an important relationship with Pantoja. He was a part of American Prime Staff in Florida early in his UFC profession, however mentioned he opted to go away the staff since he may finally need to face different 125-pounders from the identical health club, together with Pantoja and Kyoji Horiguchi.
“I like Pantoja, he’s a very nice man outdoors of octagon, within octagon,” Mokaev mentioned. “After I got here to American Prime Staff he taken care of me there. The one purpose I by no means went again to American Prime Staff as a result of that’s his residence. And as soon as I entered the world rankings, I didn’t need to [make] him uncomfortable. That’s his residence.”
Mokaev is hoping to earn his method again within the UFC by beating each fighter he can. The undefeated expertise went 7-0 within the UFC however was let go after allegedly making “some errors” there.
Mokaev debunks the narrative that he was “arduous to work with”, and appears again at his coaching periods with each Pantoja and Horiguchi with fond recollections.
“I feel Horiguchi is the strongest flyweight proper now,” Mokaev mentioned. “A little bit bit totally different type. I’d say Pantoja actually good on the bottom. We had actually, actually shut rolls on the bottom. Like, very shut. I used to be simply making ready for my second UFC struggle in opposition to Charles Johnson and we’re like very, very shut. Normally within the health club I am going and beat any person, , however with him it was very shut.
“With Horiguchi, it’s arduous to regulate him. He’s small, he’s like a sprinter. All Japanese folks have sturdy legs and so they’re very explosive. Whereas Pantoja is sort of a marathon runner, , sluggish momentum and make you drained. Horiguchi can go for 3, 4 rounds identical tempo.”
Horiguchi needed to withdraw from a struggle with Tagir Ulanbekov on June 21, which might have marked his return to the UFC after claiming titles in RIZIN and Bellator lately. The Japanese star may earn a shot at Pantoja’s belt with a win or two contained in the octagon, however don’t ask Mokaev to select a winner.
“Brother, you make me bother now. If I enter the American Prime Staff once more, they’ll each smash me,” Mokaev mentioned, laughing. “They shut the cage and in entrance of me there shall be Horiguchi and Pantoja if I say one thing flawed [laughs]. To be sincere, two totally different types. Whoever put the strain first. Pantoja likes to shake hand and go like a canine. In opposition to Horiguchi it’s arduous to it as a result of he’s very springy, shifting actually good.”
“I simply assume my time is now coming and his [Pantoja] time, one [or] two title defenses, I feel he’s created his legacy and he must go [laughs].”
