Alexandre Pantoja Fighting Style: Is the UFC Champ a Black Belt in Jiu-Jitsu?

As we know, the whole notion of mixed martial arts is the mixture of a variety of fighting styles. That is why MMA fighters are more dynamic and versatile than any other combat sports athletes. On that note, today we will take a look at the fighting style of flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja, who will defend his title at UFC 301.

‘The Cannibal’, 34, will put his title up for grabs for the second time in his UFC career against Steve Erceg, who’s undefeated in the UFC. But will his style fare against his Australian opponent? Let us take a look at that front.

Is the UFC champion flyweight’s best grappler?

If we take a look at Alexandre Pantoja’s official UFC page, his style has been categorized as being MMA. However, some sources claim that the flyweight champion has a black belt in jiu-jitsu. Since he’s a Brazilian, there was no doubt that he would be a BJJ practitioner. Regardless, Pantoja has proved time and time again that he has a great ground game, which is distinguishable from other fighters in his division. The Arraial do Cabo native has a set of well-rounded grappling skills, which has helped him earn over 10 career wins through submissions.

However, Alexandre Pantoja is not just equipped with good grappling skills. The reason why the UFC’s official website has categorized his style as MMA is because of his polished striking skills as well. ‘The Cannibal’ has more finishes than decision wins, and six of those wins have come through knockout finishes. It is safe to assume that Pantoja is a well-rounded fighter, and may arguably be the best grappler in the 125-pound division. Now that we’ve learned about the champion’s fighting style, let us take a look at when his MMA training began.

When did Alexander Pantoja start training in MMA?

Like many other fighters on the UFC roster, Alexandre Pantoja was intrigued by combat sports. He started training in BJJ, but soon developed an interest in becoming an MMA fighter. Having started his MMA training in 2007, ‘The Cannibal’ became a professional fighter in 2008 and became a champion in multiple regional promotions before he made his way into the UFC.

Alexandre Pantoja has a fixed training routine as well. In the Q&A section of his profile on UFC’s official website, the Brazilian star revealed that he trains twice a day. Pantoja said, “My training days consist of one practice in the morning and the other at night.” When he arrived in the United States, he quickly started training as a member of one of the best MMA gyms in the country, the American Top Team.

“I have been training and perfecting my game here with American Top Team, in wrestling, BJJ, Muay Thai, boxing, and cardio and strength training, in addition to training with the best senior partners,” Alexandre Pantoja added.

‘The Cannibal’ is looking to continue his winning ways this weekend at UFC 301. However, defeating his opponent, Steve Erceg, may not be that easy. Although the Australian has significantly less experience than Alexander Pantoja, he has lost only once in his career. We will have to wait and see what unfolds on May 4.