Just a few weeks after beating Royval and setting up his championship clash with Moreno, the Brazilian veteran suffered a knee injury that put him on the sidelines for the better part of a year, sending Moreno into a third fight with Deiveson Figueiredo, which he lost, only for the indomitable Mexican competitor to claim the interim title and then unify the belts with a second victory over Figueiredo at UFC 283 in January.
“That’s something God gave to me,” offered Pantoja, reflecting on his road back to title contention just a few days prior to finally sharing the Octagon with Moreno in the co-main event of UFC 290 this weekend at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “If you want to be a champion, you’re going to recover, prove how much you want to fight for the belt.”
UFC 290 COUNTDOWN: Full Episode | Main Event | Co-Main Event | Whittaker vs Du Plessis | Nickal vs Gore
On the night Moreno claimed the interim title with a third-round stoppage win over Kai Kara-France, Pantoja made his return to action, and a thunderous statement by running through former title challenger Alex Perez in 91 seconds.
After calmly walking to the center of the Octagon and touching gloves with his opponent, Pantoja went into attack mode, taking the fight to Perez before he could find his footing. He bullied Perez, showing him little respect before shoving him to the canvas and climbing on his back, where he swiftly worked to secure the rear-naked choke finish.
“I just do myself, what I do all day in the gym,” he said when asked about the performance and his intentions stepping into the Octagon at UFC 277. “When I fought with Alex Perez, I made a big statement to prove how ready I am.
“I’m not gonna fight for the belt just because I have two wins over Moreno — I fight because I deserve it. I’ve (been one of the top contenders) for a long time, I’ve fought professionally for 18 years, and I’ve passed every test in this game.
“I’ve never taken shortcuts to come to the UFC or fight for the belt,” he added. “I won the belt in Shooto Brazil. I came to the USA and fought for the belt in LFA, won the belt in LFA before RFA and Legacy went together, beating Damacio Page. Then I go to TUF and that’s when I went to the UFC.
“It’s been a long journey and now I feel so ready.”
