Who Is the Answer to Stop Alexandre Pantoja?
There will be another pivotal flyweight battle featured on the UFC 317 card. Manel Kape will go one-on-one with Brandon Royval. During an interview with Chael Sonnen, Muhammad Mokaev named one of those fighters as the possible answer to take gold from Alexandre Pantoja (h/t MMAJunkie).
“Only guy I think who can beat Pantoja right now in the division, I would say, is Manel Kape,” Mokaev said.
Mokaev also believes he knows what has helped Pantoja get ahead of the rest of the flyweight division. He believes Pantoja’s advantage is his experience having faced nearly every elite 125-pounder.
“You know, the flyweight division, the guys been in the division for a long time,” Mokaev said. “I’ve been a fan of Tim Elliott. 2017, I watched his fight live against Demetrious Johnson. He was ‘Ultimate Fighter’ winner. Then, I fought myself in 2023 against Tim Elliott. So, those guys have been in that division for so long.
“If you start in that division, growing up with them, you’re going to read them. You watch the fights, you already like – it feels like your neighbors. So, he already read them, and so he basically just have to get in shape and perform, that’s it. Mentally, Pantoja is in their heads.”
Time will tell if Kara-France can shatter the glass ceiling when he meets Pantoja in Las Vegas. If not, then the winner of Kape vs. Royval could try their hand.
