Alexandre Pantoja might’ve put an end to his rivalry with Brandon Royval, but he insists there’s no bad blood. Pantoja, with a record of 27-5, successfully defended his flyweight title against Royval (15-7) in a recent UFC 296 match. The fight was a one-sided, grappling-focused event.
This victory marked Pantoja’s second win over Royval, following a 2021 submission. After that loss, Royval, also known as “Raw Dawg,” rallied back with three straight wins to earn another shot at the title.
Pantoja, despite his win, empathizes with Royval. He understands the depth of defeat. In an interview on “The MMA Hour,” Pantoja shared his thoughts.
“He’s a great kid. He worked his tail off to get to this point. Maybe folks think I’m BS-ing, but I genuinely feel for Royval. He put in so much for this moment. It’s not just about him, he’s got a whole team behind him. When I lose, my family loses with me, my kids lose with me. It’s not just one guy, it’s a collective effort to chase a dream. It’s tough to shatter someone’s dream, but that’s the nature of the sport. I love what I do, I love to fight. If Royval is listening, I want to say thank you. I have immense respect for him. He put up a great fight, and I have a lot of love for the guy.
“People might think I’m spouting nonsense, but that’s how I feel,” he continued. “This is a dangerous sport. He lost to me two years ago, worked hard, scored three victories, and was ready to fight me again. But I have my own story, my own legacy to build.”
As for Pantoja’s next fight, he’s likely to face the winner of the upcoming match between former champ Brandon Moreno and Iraqi contender Amir Albazi. This fight is scheduled for UFC Mexico City on Feb. 24. However, the winner of the January bout between former Rizin Fighting Federation champ Manel Kape and Matheus Nicolau might also be a contender. Pantoja is open to a fourth fight with Moreno, but the prospect of a new opponent also intrigues him. “The Cannibal” stated:
“It’s going to be interesting to see Albazi fight someone like Moreno. Everyone’s talking about how good Moreno is right now, and I want to see that. If he’s up for it, we can have a fourth fight. That’d be great for me. And if Albazi wins, that’s awesome too. A different opponent, someone with a different game.”