UFC flyweight titleholder Alexandre Pantoja is open to a clash with bantamweight juggernaut Merab Dvalishvili.
Alexandre Pantoja turned away another top flyweight contender at UFC 317 as he submitted Kai Kara-France in the third round of their co-main event title fight. Pantoja, one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in MMA, is firmly in the flyweight GOAT conversation after his latest dominant performance.
Pantoja is likely set for a showdown with UFC 317 star Joshua Van for his next flyweight title defense. Van defeated Brandon Royval on weeks’ notice by unanimous decision in a ‘Fight of the Year’ contender.
But Pantoja has another unique idea in mind for one of the biggest potential fights in UFC history.
Alexandre Pantoja answers calls to move up to bantamweight to fight Merab Dvalishvili
UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili is one of the promotion’s hottest stars after finishing Sean O’Malley in their UFC 316 rematch earlier this month. While Dvalishvili has Cory Sandhagen on his radar for later this year, he’s interested in making big-name fights come to fruition.
Some have speculated whether or not Pantoja would stop cutting down to flyweight and make the full-time move to bantamweight to challenge for a second title. For the first time, Pantoja expressed willingness to fight Dvalishvili, but not under the circumstances most expect.
In a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Pantoja was pressed about a potential move to bantamweight to fight Dvalishvili.
“Money talks,” Pantoja said.
“If the UFC wants to do something crazy, make a BMF [belt] and make it 10 pounds. Me, Merab, why not?
“I don’t need to vacate my [flyweight] belt, and it makes it more fair.”
This isn’t the first time a UFC fighter has pitched making a second BMF championship come to fruition. Several female UFC stars want the promotion to create a female BMF title, including Rose Namajunas and Kayla Harrison.
Before Dvalishvili challenged for the UFC bantamweight title, he teased potentially moving down to flyweight to avoid facing his longtime friend and teammate Aljamain Sterling. But after Sterling lost to O’Malley at UFC 292, Dvalishvili pivoted on those plans.
Cory Sandhagen shared a unique gameplan to dethrone Merab Dvalishvili
Dvalishvili will face one of the bantamweight division’s most dangerous contenders for his next title defense. Sandhagen, who sat cageside as Dvalishvili defeated O’Malley at UFC 316 earlier this month, is planning on taking a unique approach to solving the bantamweight champion’s puzzle.
In a recent interview with Joe Rogan, Sandhagen talked about focusing on conquering his own demons, rather than worrying about the challenges that Dvalishvili presents. Sandhagen returned to the win column by defeating Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Des Moines earlier this year.
With Dvalishvili and Pantoja set to face tall tasks in their next title defenses, a superfight isn’t likely to take place anytime soon. But as their star power continues to rise, don’t be surprised if Pantoja and Dvalishvili end up on a collision course.