Alexandre Pantoja Calls for Rematch with Deiveson Figueiredo in Rio de Janeiro

Alexandre Pantoja has newly-crowned flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo directly in his crosshairs.

Shortly after the announcement that a light heavyweight title bout between Glover Teixeira and Jiri Prochazka was set for UFC 274 — a card that is rumored to take place in Rio de Janeiro — Pantoja proposed a rematch with Figueiredo in their home country. Figueiredo defeated Brandon Moreno via unanimous decision in their championship trilogy at UFC 270 on Saturday night.

"I was supposed to fight Moreno at UFC 270, but due to a knee problem I had to leave the card and give that opportunity to Figueiredo bring the belt back to Brazil, so nothing would be more fair than for him to make his first defense against myself in our country and my city,” Pantoja told Sherdog.com. “I can guarantee that in a rematch he will see a totally different Pantoja. In my city, I don’t see Deiveson keeping that title.”

Pantoja initially faced Figueiredo at UFC 240, falling to his fellow Brazilian via unanimous decision in July 2019. Now recovered from knee surgery and back to training at American Top Team, Pantoja admitted that a Moreno victory at UFC 270 would have been better for him. Pantoja defeated Moreno by decision at UFC Fight Night 129 in May 2018 and also submitted him in an exhibition bout in the opening round of “The Ultimate Fighter 26.”

"The fight [between Moreno and Figueiredo] was really close, but I also saw Figueiredo winning,” Pantoja said. “I’ve already defeated Brandon twice, so that trilogy would be perfect to make history.

“I´m aware that now it will depend on Askar Askarov vs Kai Kara France fight, since Askarov already defeated me and never fought Deiveson, but I´m ready for anything the UFC decides. If they want to have me fight for the belt against Deiveson, that. would be amazing. If they want to make a trilogy with Moreno, that would be great too. I´m available for whatever UFC decides.”