UFC flyweight contender Alexandre Pantoja is certainly taking the COVID-19 virus seriously now.
The Brazilian was set to take on former RIZIN champion Manel Kape at UFC Vegas 17 on December 19. However, he had to pull out after testing positive for COVID-19.
And unlike other fighters who suffered only mild symptoms and recovered soon after, it wasn’t the same case for Pantoja.
“COVID put an end to a scheduled fight,” Pantoja told MMA Junkie. “I caught the illness some two weeks back. I had nearly every symptom, except for lack of oxygen. I had a fever that lasted an entire week. I felt very unwell. I tried to get back to training, but it wasn’t possible. I felt very fatigued, which never happens otherwise. I lost my senses of taste and smell.
“This an illness that’s hard to believe until you catch it. Once you do catch it, you see how harmful it can be. It affected me greatly. I was looking forward to showcasing my skills against Manel Kape. Manel is very competitive and likes to move forward, like I do. He also likes to put on a show.”
Instead, Kape is now serving as the backup for the upcoming flyweight title fight between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno at UFC 256 this weekend. However, Pantoja claims his fight with Kape is in the works to get rebooked for February.
As for the overall state of the division? Things are looking up for it according to Pantoja — especially after it was previously believed last year that UFC president Dana White would scrap the division entirely.
“I’m very excited about the way the UFC refreshed the flyweight division,” Pantoja said. “They’ve added great fighters – I believe I’m one of them. We’re fighters who always look for a KO or submission, and we’re making the division stand out even more. Our weight class used to be very critiqued. I never saw it in a negative way. I always saw a very competitive division, from Demetrious Johnson, one of the greatest of all-time, to Olympic champion Henry Cejudo, who held two UFC belts. Other fighters like Joseph Benavidez also did a beautiful job.
“And after Deiveson Figueiredo showed up, he cleaned out the division. I had a tough fight against him. I made a few errors. I want to get back to my winning ways. I still have a lot to show. Unfortunately, I’m coming off a loss to Askar Askarov, who fought me in a very ‘bureaucratic’ way. It was the type of fight no one gets excited about, and no one wants to see. But he was efficient, nullified my game, and got the win.
“Overall, our weight class has been doing great. We’re putting on a strong showing. Many of the fights are ending via finish, and many flyweight fighters have earned ‘of the night’ bonuses. I see great fighters like Kai Kara-France, and Brandon Royval, who just fought Brandon Moreno. They’re all doing a great job. I feel very happy for our division.”
Are you excited for the division as well?
Kicking off the UFC Fight Island 2 main card is a flyweight bout between Alexandre Pantoja and Askar Askarov. Round 1: Pantoja starts with a superman punch. Askarov goes for a takedown but Pantoja reverses with a guillotine. Askarov escapes and is now in Pantoja’s guard. Pantoja attempts a triangle and an armbar but Askarov […]
The UFC is taking precautions for its upcoming flyweight title fight by having Alexandre Pantoja as the backup fighter. Deiveson Figueiredo meets Joseph Benavidez in a rematch for the vacant strap that will headline the Fight Island event in Abu Dhabi taking place July 18. Pantoja — a winner of four of his last five […]