Alexandre Pantoja is not only willing to face his teammate Kyoji Horiguchi for the UFC flyweight title, he hopes it happens.
This past Saturday at UFC Qatar, Horguchi made his long-awaited return to the
UFC and submitted Tagir Ulanbekov in the third round of their main card matchup. Following the win, Horiguchi got on the microphone and called for a championship bout against his American Top Team teammate — who is scheduled to defend his title against Joshua Van in the co-main event of UFC 323 next weekend in Las Vegas.
“Me and my family laughed so much,” Pantoja told MMA Fighting. “We enjoyed [the fight so much]. He make it look easy with a tough opponent, Tagir is a high-level fighter, but I expected a fight like that. Kyoji is one of the best in the gym. He’s pushed my level up. I have this belt right now because I have Kyoji Horguchi in the same room to train together. Amazing fighter, amazing teammate.
“All the time, [if] you’re going to train with Kyoji, it doesn’t matter if it’s just a drill, he will come 100 percent. That’s why he’s one of the best, not just flyweight fighters, he’s one of the best fighters in the whole world. And we can pick everybody [at] American Top Team. We have 100 fighters and if you choose the best fighter [at] American Top Team, maybe it’s Kyoji Horiguchi. One of the hardest working guys in the gym. It’s so good to have him in the same gym, [and] I put in the same position Kayla Harrison. It’s so much inspiration for everybody. We have very good talents in the gym, and Kyoji Horiguchi [has helped me] to conquer this belt.”
Pantoja looks for his fifth successful title defense against the surging Van, who began the year unranked, but after three impressive wins — including a Fight of the Year contending decision win over Brandon Royval at UFC 317 — has found his way into a title fight at just 24 years old. Pantoja also competed on that card, dominating and submitting Kai Kara-France in the co-main event.
As for as Horiguchi goes, Pantoja says he spoke with his teammate when the all-time great revealed he was coming back to the UFC, which admittedly set the wheels in motion.
“When Kyoji came to me and [told me he] went back to UFC and he wants to conquer the UFC belt, I [told] Kyoji, ‘If it’s your dream, I’m with you, brother. I want to help you get there.’” Pantoja said. “If we fight for the UFC belt, it’s going to be a privilege. … Of course, I have a huge fight Dec. 6. [Once I win] that fight, I want to make this fight happen with Kyoji Horiguchi. But first I need to [fight] Joshua Van.”
Pantoja and Horiguchi have enjoyed a fantastic relationship over the years in Coconut Creek, Fla., and they’ve made each other better throughout the process.
To have that culminate into a world championship fight in the biggest MMA organization in the world would not only be an honor, but it might show a different side of Pantoja in the process.
“I don’t like trash talk, but maybe if I can have trash talk with someone it’s with Kyoji,” Pantoja explained. “We have so much good history. The trash talk starts in the gym. Great guy, he comes from Japan, has such respect and everything else. … Kyoji is a very different guy. He has a little Brazilian [in him].
“We have so many Brazilians at American Top Team, and I think he loved the Brazil culture, he loves the Brazilian food. All the time he’d go to Brazilian restaurants and I think it’s going to be a present – not just for me, for Kyoji, but for American Top Team. You have two guys from the same gym conquering this position together, to fight for the world title for UFC, the most important title for MMA. Yeah, it’s going to be a privilege.”
