“He only got that wheelchair after I went there to talk to him,” Pantoja laughed. It’s still unclear when Moreno will defend his title next, but watching the Mexican on a wheelchair backstage could indicate a longer break. Pantoja said he’s willing to wait as long as it takes to face Moreno for the UFC title, but warns “the longer it takes, the worse it will be” for Moreno. I really want Brendon Moreno to come a better fighter, in his prime.” He’s a great athlete and has shown incredible evolution against Deiveson Figueiredo. I could say he was afraid of me, that he’s afraid of fighting me, but I doubt it, man. “And honestly, let’s be clear here, he lost twice to me. I don’t want Moreno to put me on this villain role like I was trying to ruin his moment. I wasn’t being disrespectful, that’s not who I am. And was like, ‘Get out of here, let him enjoy his moment.’ F*ck you, man. Let’s fight next month? In two months? Tell me know much time you need. “Of course that I’m going to ask him when we’re going to fight. … I have a ton of respect for him, the family he’s built, his wife and kids, so when I go there to congratulate him and also work, of course, I’m not being disrespectful or trying to take anything away from his moment. I’ve known Moreno for a long time, we had a nice exchange on TUF and that’s what matters to me. I went there because I felt obligated as a UFC employee, I had to do something, to make an appearance, to create something, but I respect Moreno a lot. “I was a little upset about that,” Pantoja said. Now campaigning for a trilogy bout with the UFC belt on the line after being recruited as the backup fighter at UFC 283, Pantoja said he did not enjoy being painted as a villain after the event with Moreno saying at the press conference that their post-fight interaction backstage started “very friendly”, but then he “started to look a little bit aggressive”. They met again two years later at UFC Chile, and this time Pantoja dominated to win a decision. Pantoja tapped Moreno with a rear-naked choke midway through round two, but the bout isn’t listed on his official MMA record since TUF bouts are considered exhibitions. I was like, ‘F*ck, this guy is willing to die here, brother.’ And he was. I landed the elbow and he’s bleeding, that’s the only time in my life that I thought about it during a fight. “There was a moment I landed and elbow on his face, that was the only time I felt sorry to be beating someone because we were both there for our families, for everybody. “It was a super tough fight, brother,” Pantoja said on this week’s Trocação Franca podcast. 1 seed, with Moreno being the last pick, and they met in the opening bout. Pantoja and Moreno were enlisted to compete at the 24th season of The Ultimate Fighter in 2016, a special season that featured flyweight champions from various promotions. And looking back at one of those wins, Pantoja reveals it gave him a unique feeling. Whether any bad blood lingers going into a potential fourth fight remains to be seen.With two wins over UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno, Alexandre Pantoja is likely next in line for the title after the Mexican talent finished Deiveson Figueiredo to put an end to their tetralogy at UFC 283 in Rio de Janeiro. Moreno shook off the comments as Figueiredo trying to sell tickets. Their third fight came with Figueiredo, who exuberantly and graciously congratulated an emotional Moreno seven months ago, bad-mouthing the Tijuana native for some perceived old bad blood involving Cejudo. Moreno and Figueiredo fought to a majority draw in December 2020, then Moreno tapped out the Brazilian champ in the third round in June to win the belt. It has been a whirlwind 13 months for the two warriors. The fight ended with each 125-pounder swinging wildly and egging the other on. For the most part, they were patient, striking, counter-striking, at times engaging in flurries. Neither fighter was in danger of being finished. Judge Wade Vierra had it tied at 38 going into the fifth. It ends up the fifth round wasn’t decisive in the scoring – judges Chris Crail and Michael Bell had Figueiredo up 39-36 after four rounds. The champ popped back up, though, not seriously harmed. The third knockdown came in the fifth round, a straight right early in the round that put Moreno on his seat. Moreno landed more strikes (106-95) and more significant strikes (105-86) and landed more significant strikes in each of the last four rounds, but the challenger scored three knockdowns – two in the third round – as well as two takedowns to one for Moreno. “Obviously, I think I won but it is what it is right now.” Maybe he connected with more power,” said Moreno, 28, who was making his first title defense. “I feel like I threw combinations with more speed. Moreno (19-6-2) replied later in Spanish that he was ready to go again, but he felt he did enough to get the nod.
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