Demetrious Johnson says Alexandre Pantoja should consider retirement after UFC 331 loss
The short version
- Demetrious Johnson says Alexandre Pantoja, 36, should consider retiring.
- Pantoja lost a unanimous decision to Joshua Van in the UFC 331 main event on Saturday.
- Pantoja won the flyweight title in 2023 and defended it four times before losing the belt to Van in December after a freak injury.
- Johnson praised Van, 24, for escaping dangerous positions; Manel Kape is lined up to fight Van next.
The former flyweight great says Pantoja, 36, has nothing left to prove after losing his rematch with Joshua Van and should think about walking away.
Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson believes Alexandre Pantoja should think about retiring after losing a unanimous decision to Joshua Van in the main event of UFC 331 on Saturday.
Johnson, widely regarded as the best flyweight in MMA history, made the case on his YouTube channel. He pointed to Pantoja's age of 36, his long career, and a division in which the Brazilian has already beaten most of the top names, including Brandon Moreno and Brandon Royval.
Pantoja has competed professionally since debuting in 2007. He claimed the flyweight title in 2023 with a win over Moreno and successfully defended it four times, the most of anyone in the division since Johnson's own title run.
Van took the belt from Pantoja after a freak injury ended their first fight seconds in last December, and Pantoja was unable to reclaim it in the rematch. Johnson praised the 24-year-old Van's composure, noting his ability to escape bad positions and his improving takedown defense as the fight went on. Manel Kape is expected to face Van next.
