Alexandre Pantoja is the definition of the word ‘fighter’. The reigning UFC flyweight champ grew up in extreme poverty in Brazil and had to earn everything off of his blood, sweat, and tears. After all, he used to work as an ‘UberEATS’ driver to put food on the table for his family, even as he was trying to make it as a champion.

But looking at him, a layman could be forgiven for not recognizing that he is a professional mixed martial artist, perhaps the best in his weight class in the world. Not exactly the archetype of a champion fighter, Pantoja’s heart and courage have brought him to where he is today. In this article we take a look at his physical attributes and what makes him so special.

How tall is Alexandre Pantoja? Reach, weight, and more

They say it’s not about the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog. And that is nowhere more true than in the case of Alexandre Pantoja. After all, ‘The Cannibal’ can be physically best described as ‘diminutive,’ at least based on his measurements, but that is only half the story.

The Brazilian competes in the UFC’s lightest division. While his walk-around weight is currently unknown, Pantoja, of course, makes the 125-pound flyweight limit for his fights. In addition, he stands at just 5’5″, not exactly what comes to mind when one thinks of an MMA champion. But he is a very muscular and remarkably strong individual at his current dimensions as he has proven time and time again.

‘The Cannibal’ has used his 68″ reach to great effect, often defeating longer and taller opponents because of his ability to persevere and never give up. Now let us take a look at his journey to becoming a UFC champ.

Alexandre Pantoja’s MMA record and stats

Alexandre Pantoja is 28-5-0 going into his UFC 310 flyweight title clash against debutant and Japanese ace Kai Asakura. Of these, three of his losses have come in the UFC, which matches up very favorably against his twelve promotional wins. ‘The Cannibal’ started his pro MMA career in 2007, and worked his way to becoming a champion in the minor, Las Vegas-based MMA promotion RFA back in 2013.

So promising was he even back then that it earned him a call-up to the UFC’s flagship reality show, ‘The Ultimate Fighter 24’ season back in 2016. There the Brazilian would make it to the semi-finals, where he was eliminated by Hiromasa Ougikubo. But it was clear that Pantoja was a special fighter, which earned him a UFC contract.

Remarkably, the Brazilian has never, ever been finished, with all five of his losses coming by way of decisions. What else could be said about his toughness and heart? Indeed, it is also worth mentioning that of Pantoja’s twelve UFC wins, six have come via decision and six have been finishes (two knockouts, and four submissions).

Since winning the UFC title in 2023, the Brazilian has defended it twice and is set to make his third title defense against the Japanese phenom, Kai Asakura at UFC 310. What do you think about Alexandre Pantoja’s inspiring life journey?