Pantoja breaks his own rule and wants to face his training partner in 2026.

Alexandre pantoja He may break his rule and face Kyoji Horiguchi soon. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC

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Known for avoiding confrontations with friends and gym partners, Alexandre pantoja He seems willing to break a personal rule in the name of history. The current UFC flyweight champion (up to 56,7 kg), the Brazilian revealed that he would accept sharing the octagon with Kyoji Horiguchi, a longtime teammate at American Top Team, should the Japanese fighter qualify as the next challenger.

The possibility gained strength after Horiguchi's impactful return to the UFC. Last Saturday (22), during UFC Qatar, the Japanese veteran returned to the organization after a nine-year absence and dominated. Tagir UlanbekovIn the post-fight interview, in a relaxed tone, he took the opportunity to directly challenge Pantoja.

The Brazilian's response came days later, in an interview with the American website MMA Junkie. Far from ruling out the fight, Pantoja treated the provocation as an acknowledgment and made it clear that if he wins... Joshua Van At UFC 323, scheduled for December 7th in Las Vegas (USA), he would have no problem defending the belt against his friend.

"It would be very special for me. If I get through..." Joshua Van "And if I can defend the belt against Kyoji, it would be a gift. He means a lot in my life. I'm so happy to see him back and giving a performance like this," said the champion.

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Pantoja's next title defense is already underway.. He is Joshua Van They faced off after both won in UFC 317, sealing the confrontation for the end of the year. Even focused on the immediate commitment, the Brazilian admits that Horiguchi may be an exception when it comes to trash talk.

"Maybe he's the only guy I can trade banter with. He's fun, exciting... I'm very happy that he accepted this challenge of returning to the UFC," he added.

Horiguchi has a history with Pantoja's target.

If the fight between Pantoja and Horiguchi happens, the clash carries significant historical weight. The Japanese fighter's only loss in the UFC came precisely against... Demetrious Johnson, in 2015, when he competed for the flyweight title.

Interestingly, it is Johnson's legacy that Pantoja is pursuing. The Brazilian already has four title defenses and aims to reach, and surpass, the American's record of 11 defenses. If it depends on his determination, even an old training partner could be part of that journey.

After leaving the UFC, Horiguchi built a winning career in Rizin, where he established himself as one of the biggest names in Asian MMA. Now, back in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the Japanese fighter could face his Brazilian friend again in one of the division's most symbolic fights.