Alexandre Pantoja’s Title Reign Heading into UFC 323
Alexandre Pantoja has become the face of the UFC flyweight division since claiming the belt in July 2023, and heading into his fifth title fight at UFC 323 in December 2025, his reign stands as one of the most dominant stretches in the sport’s history. At 35 years old, the Brazilian champion is operating at a level that defies his age, having strung together four consecutive title defenses while extending his overall winning streak to eight fights.
Pantoja captured the flyweight championship with a split decision victory over Brandon Moreno at UFC 290 on July 8, 2023. The bout served as a third meeting between the two fighters, including a previous encounter during The Ultimate Fighter Season 24. The fight itself became a candidate for Fight of the Year, with both fighters trading punishment across five rounds before the judges’ scorecards favored Pantoja. For more numbers, make sure to check out pokies online nz.
His first defense came less than six months later at UFC 296 in December 2023, when he faced Brandon Royval. In the title fight, Pantoja controlled the match through superior grappling and tactical wrestling, accumulating nearly 16 minutes of top control time across five rounds to secure a unanimous decision with scores of 50-45, 50-45, and 49-46.
Pantoja‘s second defense occurred at UFC 301 in May 2024 in his home city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Facing Australian Steve Erceg. Erceg proved to be tougher than anticipated, leaving Pantoja’s face bloodied from an elbow strike and keeping the fight competitive, but Pantoja’s superior takedown ability and control proved decisive.
The third title defense came at UFC 310 in December 2024 against Kai Asakura, a former two-time Rizin Bantamweight Champion. This bout offered Pantoja his first real test against elite international competition outside the UFC system. Pantoja came in aggressive and hurt Asakura early, then secured the back in the second round and finished with a rear-naked choke at 2:05 to earn a Performance of the Night bonus.
His fourth defense came in June 2025 at UFC 317 when he faced Kai Kara-France, a fighter he had defeated during their time on The Ultimate Fighter. Pantoja delivered a masterclass performance.
Pantoja has delivered convincing performances that leave little debate about the outcome. This track record heading into his fifth title fight against Joshua Van at UFC 323 demonstrates why many view Pantoja as operating in a tier above the rest of the flyweight competition.
