Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson urged Alexandre Pantoja, 36, to retire after Pantoja lost a unanimous decision to titleholder Joshua Van at UFC 331 on Sept. 19, saying he has proved enough and should avoid further blows and concussions.
Johnson said Pantoja has beaten nearly every established contender at 125 pounds, including Brandon Moreno, Brandon Royval and Manel Kape, leaving younger newcomers as potential opponents. He also said Pantoja and Kyoji Horiguchi are teammates.
Pantoja has not publicly said he is considering retirement. His first fight with Van ended after 26 seconds when he dislocated his elbow; Pantoja won the flyweight title from Moreno in 2023 and defended it four times.
