LAS VEGAS -- On July 8, Alexandre Pantoja won the flyweight championship by clawing out a split decision victory at UFC 290 over reigning title-holder Brandon Moreno in a sensational battle at T-Mobile Arena. It was the night of his dreams, one he knew could change the course of life not only for him but for his wife, Gabryella, and their children, Moreno and Kai, as well.
And so while so many of his peers who won on that card headed off to host after-parties or to celebrate in a night club, Pantoja had only one thought in mind: Getting home.
"I'm keeping my feet on the ground, and I'm not going to change who I am [because I won the championship]," Pantoja told keviniole.com. "I'm not the guy who is going to say, 'Do you know who I am?' Never would I do that. When I'm not working, when I'm not doing my job, I want to be home with the loves of my life, my wife and my children. I love to be home. I love to play with my kids. I love to go for walks with my dog and just hang out with my wife. I'm not a drunk. I'm just a regular guy with a beautiful family. I'm the same guy outside the Octagon you see inside of it."
On Saturday, Pantoja will make the first defense of the title he won from Moreno in a rematch with Brandon Royval in the co-main event of UFC 296 at T-Mobile Arena. The Royval rematch naturally brought back some memories for him. He defeated Royval via rear naked choke at Apex on the UFC campus on Aug. 21, 2021.
He'd had a bout of COVID before that and was struggling to make ends meet. His wife took a job cleaning houses. He drove for Uber and delivered Uber Eats as a way to make extra money.
Fighters are independent contractors who are only paid when they compete. During the pandemic, Pantoja was like many who were trying to scratch out a living under wildly unpredictable and largely unforeseen circumstances.
But he's not looking for credit and doesn't tell his story as a means to gain sympathy. He's simply answering questions and doesn't expect to be made into a hero.
"I have always tried to be a good friend and a good father, every day of my life," he said. "I try to take care of the people closest to me the best way that I can. God put me in position where I can do these things. I can be a good daddy and I am lucky because I have the best wife. She is awesome and helps me with everything so I can do [my training] and that makes it easier. I like to talk about how important she is in my life and to our family, because people don't realize how much we [fighters] need that support.
"When you're young and you have a beautiful girlfriend, you're proud. But as you learn about life and what's important, and you have the wife now of 11 years like I have who is so wonderful and so important, you want to make a big statement to let people know that I'm not doing this by myself. I have a great support."
Gabryella wasn't too impressed with him when they first met. He said he "was very freaky at the time," with long hair and lots of piercings and that Gabryella wasn't interested in dating him.
But he knew she was the one for him and if it would take cleaning up his image to get her to be interested in him, that's what he would do. So he cut his hair, removed his piercings and adopted a more mainstream look.
"It was the best thing I've ever done," he said. "She is amazing and has been such a big part of this."
He'll have to get past one of the hottest fighters in the suddenly on-fire flyweight division in order to keep the belt. Royval has won three in a row, including his last two by finish, and seven of his last night. He forced UFC CEO Dana White to recognize him and he's landed the championship shot.
Royval has earned high praise from the champion.
"He's got great jiu-jitsu and great striking and he's well-rounded and in great condition," Pantoja said. "I know how dangerous this guy is. He can [defeat] anyone. But that's how this division is right now. It's so good, so deep. Number 15 can beat Number 1. Everyone is close. That's how it is right now at [flyweight]. I think we're going to have a great battle and I believe I have to be at my best to keep this [belt]."