UFC champ Alexandre Pantoja believes his upcoming title protection in opposition to Kai Asakura would ship in the primary occasion spot at UFC 310.
Pantoja and Asakura are set for a championship bout on the UFC’s year-end pay-per-view occasion Dec. 7 at T-Cellular Area in Las Vegas. The bout was slated to be the co-main occasion of the cardboard behind the Belal Muhammad vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov welterweight title bout, however Muhammad was pressured to withdraw from the competition after struggling a nasty bone an infection on his foot.
Rakhmonov says he’d be open to remaining on the cardboard to combat for an interim title, however presently, the cardboard is with out a major occasion.
“I heard about Belal [being] damage like two days in the past in my fitness center earlier than and I stated, ‘It’s proper?,’” Pantoja advised MMA Combating. “However it’s simply discuss, the blokes simply speaking about it after which [earlier] I simply seen the video [with him] in hospital along with his toes. That’s an actual, actual downside on there, and this occurs [at] quite a bit within the MMA gyms, some infections [on] the ground, they go to the fitness center. … I simply [have] one major occasion in my life — in my final combat [at UFC 301] in Brazil, in Rio de Janeiro, and I do know there’s some distinction [fighting in that spot].
“You must do extra stuff to promote your pay-per-view, promote your combat, and let’s go. It’s a very good time to find out about that. I feel what all people is aware of about is how I’m preventing, and after, I took somewhat break — perhaps individuals don’t understand that, however I took somewhat break. My final combat was in Might and now I combat in December, and this break is superb for me, for my household, you already know. quite a lot of strain, three title fights, and my coach Marcos Parrumpa say to me, ‘You want a break, it’s worthwhile to calm down. You and your loved ones want like one or two months. Don’t take into consideration fights, you already know, don’t take into consideration you [needing] a combat, no cameras and all the things.
“And now I’m really feel tremendous contemporary for that combat as a result of I had fun, my household had fun and now we’re in camp once more. And we will see the distinction in the home as a result of my household breathes my fights as a result of this occurred for thus a few years. I do know, 100%, I’m going to placed on an excellent present. I don’t prefer to say I’m going to complete that man, I do my job, however, 100%, I’m in one of the best form of my life.”
Pantoja captured the title with a call win in an thrilling battle with Brandon Moreno at UFC 290 in July 2023. “The Cannibal” has gone on to efficiently defend the title twice, incomes determination wins in opposition to Brandon Royval and Steve Erceg.
He’ll face Asakura, the previous RIZIN bantamweight champion who signed with the UFC earlier this yr. Asakura enters the bout after ending his previous two opponents, together with former Bellator champ Juan Archuleta at RIZIN 45 this previous December to regain the RIZIN 135-pound title.
With each fighters bringing thrilling types and enjoyable fights to the cage, Pantoja’s suggestion is to have the UFC brass put the telephones down and let the 125-pound fighters slug it out to shut out the promotion’s pay-per-view yr.
“I’m tremendous excited, I’m the primary occasion proper now,” Pantoja stated. “OK, I don’t discuss an excessive amount of, I’m from Brazil, my English just isn’t so good however I feel all people has a very good alternative to see top-of-the-line [fights] of the yr. [The UFC signs] Asakura, the Japanese star, the champion from Japan for lengthy years. I’m tremendous proud of that crossover. I feel it all of the MMA followers wish to see extra of that. I [was] speaking about [this] within the fitness center, we’ve got Johnny Eblen in my fitness center. He’s a Bellator champ, I take into consideration, perhaps it’s a must to convey him to UFC.
“That’s what all people needs to see: The most effective [in the] UFC versus one other promotion, one other champion for all of the world, and I’ve the chance. I’m very proud of the opponent for me, and extra as a result of I’ve [fought in main] occasions and Asakura [is] extremely popular in Japan, and I do know [that] the Japanese purchase quite a lot of pay-per-views too. That’s excellent.”
