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 suppose his former teammate ought to do the identical.
Pantoja has efficiently defended the flyweight title thrice 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 towards Kai Kara-France — a person he’d beforehand crushed on The Final Fighter in 2016.
That stated, Mokaev advises him towards transferring to bantamweight to problem Merab Dvalishvili, and as an alternative develop his legacy at 125 kilos.
“I see articles about individuals [saying] he ought to struggle Merab and I stated, no, he shouldn’t struggle Merab,” Mokaev instructed MMA Preventing. “He’s not sufficiently big to struggle Merab, size-wise. I might say myself, I’m not a giant [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 a giant man. Like, even [Deiveson] Figueiredo, greatest flyweight, he struggled in 135. Pantoja is smaller than Figueiredo. And I might 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, stated he has a fantastic relationship with Pantoja. He was a part of American Prime Crew in Florida early in his UFC profession, however stated he opted to go away the group since he might finally should face different 125-pounders from the identical health club, together with Pantoja and Kyoji Horiguchi.
“I really like Pantoja, he’s a very nice man outdoors of octagon, within octagon,” Mokaev stated. “After I got here to American Prime Crew he sorted me there. The one motive I by no means went again to American Prime Crew as a result of that’s his house. And as soon as I entered the world rankings, I didn’t wish to [make] him uncomfortable. That’s his house.”
Mokaev is hoping to earn his way back in 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 classes with each Pantoja and Horiguchi with fond recollections.
“I feel Horiguchi is the strongest flyweight proper now,” Mokaev stated. “A little bit bit totally different type. I might say Pantoja actually good on the bottom. We had actually, actually shut rolls on the bottom. Like, very shut. I used to be simply getting ready for my second UFC struggle towards Charles Johnson and we’re like very, very shut. Normally within the health club I’m going and beat any individual, , 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 individuals 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 might 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 Crew once more, they’ll each smash me,” Mokaev stated, laughing. “They shut the cage and in entrance of me there will likely be Horiguchi and Pantoja if I say one thing improper [laughs]. To be trustworthy, two totally different types. Whoever put the stress 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, transferring actually good.”
“I simply suppose 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].”
