Alexandre Pantoja

The flyweight champion

Alexandre "The Cannibal" Pantoja won the UFC flyweight title at UFC 290 in July 2023 by submitting Brandon Moreno via split decision (48-47, 48-47, 47-48). He has defended the title four times — against Brandon Royval (UFC 296), Steve Erceg (UFC 301), Kai Asakura (UFC 310), and Brandon Royval rematch (UFC 317). His record stands at 29-5.

His résumé includes wins over Brandon Moreno (multiple bouts including the TUF 2016 reality TV era), Brandon Royval (twice), Manel Kape, Kai Asakura, and the long stretch of flyweight contenders.

The Brazilian BJJ foundation

Pantoja trained at Nova União in Rio de Janeiro under coach André Pederneiras (the same gym as José Aldo). The BJJ black belt is the technical foundation; the back-take game and the rear-naked choke threats from any grappling position have produced the canonical Pantoja finish pattern.

The technical signature:

• Back-take from any scramble: Pantoja's wrestling defense leads to scramble positions where he ends up in back control. The Brandon Moreno title-winning rear-naked choke at UFC 290 was a back-take finish.
• Pace and pressure: like Demetrious Johnson before him, Pantoja fights at constant motion. The flyweight division rewards pace.
• Striking volume: not the most powerful flyweight striker, but a high-volume jab and lead hook that complement the wrestling threat.
• Cardio: five-round flyweight championship pace, demonstrated across multiple title defenses.

The Brandon Moreno trilogy

The Pantoja-Moreno trilogy spanned three matches across two eras:

• TUF Brazil 24 (2016): Moreno was eliminated by Pantoja in the reality TV tournament — the bout that established the rivalry.
• UFC Fight Night 110 (June 2017): Pantoja won by unanimous decision.
• UFC 290 (July 2023): Pantoja won by split decision for the title.

The trilogy is the most-defined rivalry in modern flyweight history and produced the title-winning result at UFC 290.

The technical assessment

Pantoja's case for the flyweight historical canon is the title defense run — four consecutive defenses against top contenders, with finishes in two of them. The Kai Asakura defense at UFC 310 in December 2024 was particularly significant — Asakura was the RIZIN flyweight champion making his UFC debut, and Pantoja submitted him via rear-naked choke in round 2.

The technical limitations are the size — Pantoja is 5'5", smaller than most flyweights — and the periodic injury issues. The 2024 ankle injury cost him a planned UFC 310 fight rebooking.

The legacy

Pantoja is the most-defended flyweight champion since Demetrious Johnson. The four-defense title reign, the trilogy over Brandon Moreno, and the willingness to take all comers (including the RIZIN champion at UFC 310) produces a profile that's the strongest flyweight historical case since the Johnson era.

His pace, his BJJ foundation, and his pressure-and-wrestling game are the canonical modern flyweight champion template.