Cannibal’s Creed: ‘To Kill or be Killed’

Alexandre Pantoja does not mince words.

“In Brazil, we like to say that we’ll bring home our opponent’s head,” he told Sherdog.com. “That’s an attitude I’ve had since early on. I’ve been fighting for a long time. My first MMA bout was at age 17. I’ve always been highly aggressive. I look to kill or be killed in the Octagon. I like to put on a show. My goal is to completely destroy my adversaries. I’m always looking to demoralize my opponents to show them how much stronger I am.”

Those are the parameters for Pantoja ahead of his UFC 277 flyweight showcase against Alex Perez on Saturday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The 32-year-old Brazilian enters the cage on the heels of back-to-back victories over Manel Kape and Brandon Royval. His pairing with Perez takes on added significance due to the uncertainty that has developed at the top of the 125-pound weight class, with current champion Deiveson Figueiredo on the shelf with an injury and the Brandon Moreno-Kai Kara France co-main event set the determine the interim Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight titleholder.

“I believe that the UFC wants what’s best for our weight class,” Pantoja said. “They want to keep us moving instead of waiting for Figueiredo to be in fight shape. He’s far from his desired weight and wouldn’t be able to fight so soon. Without a doubt, I’m close to the top. I don’t know if Figueiredo will come back or if he’ll move up in weight. I think he’d rather go up [to bantamweight] as opposed to defending [the championship]. If he wants to come back, he’ll need time for his body to get back to normal. I see myself beating Perez and fighting for the belt next.”

Time will tell whether Pantoja’s foresight rings true. In the meantime, Perez will not be an easy hurdle to clear. The Team Oyama representative holds a 6-2 record inside the Octagon that includes finishes of Jussier Formiga, Jordan Espinosa, Jose Torres and Carls John de Tomas. A former Tachi Palace Fights champion, Perez’s only losses in the UFC have come to the aforementioned Figueiredo and Joseph Benavidez. However, he has not competed since November 2020.

“I think it will be a good fight for the fans. Neither of us will run,” Pantoja said. “I know he has been inactive for a long time due to several cancelations, as well as a bad weight cut, but I know he’s complete, with finishes against top fighters. We’ll go to battle to see who deserves to fight for the belt. I’m not sure how I’ll win. The important thing is that if I show up fully prepared, I will be the winner, whether it’s by knockout, submission or decision.”

Pantoja credits his move to American Top Team for the continued growth and development in his game. The Coconut Creek, Florida, camp offers “The Cannibal” access to world-class coaches and affords him the opportunity to train alongside a number of fellow thoroughbreds, including current Rizin Fighting Federation champion Kyoji Horiguchi and reigning One Championship titleholder Adriano Moraes.

“I’ve been here for a long time, and I can see how much I’ve evolved as a professional athlete,” Pantoja said. “I have the best possible training partners out of a very large team.”

It has proven to be an ideal fit for Pantoja, perhaps more so from a personal standpoint.

“I’ve been in Florida for four years now,” he said. “Moving to American Top Team was a very important decision for myself and my family—my kids. Nowadays, my children are doing well in school. They speak English fluently and excel in school sports. I’m building a great future for them. I was recently awarded my green card. I’m on the right path to build our future in the United States. I feel privileged to have this job and to always be with my children and my wife.”