Alexandre Pantoja has one ultimate thing in mind after his latest victory over Brandon Royval at UFC 296: to fight in his homeland, Rio de Janeiro, in the future.
The Brazilian successfully defended his belt from “Raw Dawg” last Saturday after a unanimous decision from the judges. However, unlike other fighters making callouts to specific fellows in order to prepare for their next fight, the flyweight champ wants to prioritize the place of his next event.
“I’ve fought all over the world, you know,” Pantoja said during the UFC 296 post-fight interview. “I’ve fought in South Korea. I fought in Abu Dhabi. I’ve fought in Chile and Argentina and Glasgow. I’ve never fought for the UFC in Brazi. That’s my wish for Papa Dana for Christmas. I want to defend my belt in Rio de Janeiro. That’s my town.”
Brazil is known for producing a handful of well-known MMA fighters and champions across different weight classes in the industry. Some include Anderson Silva, José Aldo, Vitor Belfort, Lyoto Machida, Demian Maia, Junior dos Santos, Cris Cyborg, and Jéssica Andrade. Yet, for Pantoja, who’s not a fan of trash talks, Brazil needs not just a fighter who is good in the cage but also a champ who can stand as a model for the new generation.
“I try to be a new idol for Brazil,” the champ explained. “I said that all week. Brazil needs good idols. They need good heroes right now. Some guys respect their opponents. Some guys bring your family up all the time. This cut weight [sic] I had my young son by my side. He helped me a lot. I made good work as a parent, a husband, a father. I tried to give this (perspective) for the world.”
