No active UFC champion has more title defenses than Alexandre Pantoja now that Islam Makhachev has vacated the lightweight belt to pursue welterweight glory, but Muhammad Mokaev doesn’t think his former teammate should do the same.
Pantoja has successfully defended the flyweight title three times by beating Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg and Kai Asakura since taking the belt away from Brandon Moreno in 2023. He’s slated to defend his throne during International Fight Week on June 28, when he co-headlines UFC 317 against Kai Kara-France — a man he’d previously beaten on The Ultimate Fighter in 2016.
That said, Mokaev advises him against moving to bantamweight to challenge Merab Dvalishvili, and instead grow his legacy at 125 pounds.
“I see articles about people [saying] he should fight Merab and I said, no, he should not fight Merab,” Mokaev told MMA Fighting. “He’s not big enough to fight Merab, size-wise. I would say myself, I’m not a big [enough] flyweight to fight Merab. Merab is strong for bantamweight, very strong. I say realistically, not just hating on about Pantoja. I’m saying about myself.
“Merab is a big guy. Like, even [Deiveson] Figueiredo, biggest flyweight, he struggled in 135. Pantoja is smaller than Figueiredo. And I would say he’s better to stay at flyweight and make a legacy instead of him jumping over. It’s gonna take him time to put weight on.”
Mokaev, who returns to the cage Saturday to battle Alisher Gabdullin at 971 FC 2 in Dubai, said he has a great relationship with Pantoja. He was part of American Top Team in Florida early in his UFC career, but said he opted to leave the team since he could eventually have to face other 125-pounders from the same gym, including Pantoja and Kyoji Horiguchi.
“I love Pantoja, he’s a really great guy outside of octagon, inside of octagon,” Mokaev said. “When I came to American Top Team he looked after me there. The only reason I never went back to American Top Team because that’s his home. And once I entered the world rankings, I didn’t want to [make] him uncomfortable. That’s his home.”
Mokaev is hoping to earn his way back in the UFC by beating every fighter he can. The undefeated talent went 7-0 in the UFC but was let go after allegedly making “some mistakes” there.
Mokaev debunks the narrative that he was “hard to work with”, and looks back at his training sessions with both Pantoja and Horiguchi with fond memories.
“I think Horiguchi is the strongest flyweight right now,” Mokaev said. “A little bit different style. I would say Pantoja really good on the ground. We had really, really close rolls on the ground. Like, very close. I was just preparing for my second UFC fight against Charles Johnson and we are like very, very close. Usually in the gym I go and beat somebody, you know, but with him it was very close.
“With Horiguchi, it’s hard to control him. He’s small, he’s like a sprinter. All Japanese people have strong legs and they’re very explosive. Whereas Pantoja is like a marathon runner, you know, slow momentum and make you tired. Horiguchi can go for three, four rounds same pace.”
Horiguchi had to withdraw from a fight with Tagir Ulanbekov on June 21, which would have marked his return to the UFC after claiming titles in RIZIN and Bellator in recent years. The Japanese star could earn a shot at Pantoja’s belt with a win or two inside the octagon, but don’t ask Mokaev to pick a winner.
“Brother, you make me trouble now. If I enter the American Top Team again, they’ll both smash me,” Mokaev said, laughing. “They close the cage and in front of me there will be Horiguchi and Pantoja if I say something wrong [laughs]. To be honest, two different styles. Whoever put the pressure first. Pantoja likes to shake hand and go like a dog. Against Horiguchi it’s hard to it because he’s very springy, moving really good.”
“I just think my time is now coming and his [Pantoja] time, one [or] two title defenses, I think he’s created his legacy and he needs to go [laughs].”
