Alexandre Pantoja Hopes for 'Dream' Fight Against Demetrious Johnson

Alexandre Pantoja is eyeing a future dream fight against Demetrious Johnson after his latest title defense.

Pantoja recently defended his flyweight title with a unanimous decision win over Steve Erceg in the main event at UFC 301 UFC 301. Having successfully defended his strap for the second time, Pantoja believes he can make a case for a matchup against the former Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight champ and MMA GOAT contender. If a fight doesn’t come to fruition, “The Cannibal” is also content with a hard sparring session against Johnson.

“Yeah, he’s the GOAT you know, how I can not say that? I think right now after two title defense I can speak a little bit about that. Because I have a huge respect for Demetrious Johnson. I can’t try to compare myself with him. And right now, I can say something you know, more coins to put on the table,” Pantoja said on “The MMA Hour”.

“And I think that’s dream for me. I don’t like to say I have dreams because I want to live everything I have in my life. I think [to] live is better than [to] dream. But if I dream about something, it’s to fight with Demetrious Johnson. I have all respect for him. If he don’t want to fight, maybe I go to the gym and training with him, make hard sparring.”

Johnson’s flyweight title reign was arguably the most dominant in UFC history. Pantoja believes Johnson can still replicate the highlights of his career.

“I think he can do it what he did before,” Pantoja said. “Because the new names in the MMA [are] so different year after year, I don’t know if you [everyone] can do the same… It’s like if you question [if] Anderson Silva wanted to fight Vitor Belfort again, he don’t want to fight because he can’t [do] that kick again, or Conor McGregor with Jose Aldo, he can’t repeat that exhibition. I think Demetrious can [do] that again. And that’s why I think he not come back. But it’s gonna be a dream for me to fight with him.”

While Pantoja had his hand raised at UFC 301, Erceg gave the champ a run for his money. “Mighty Mouse” wasn’t impressed with Pantoja’s performance and voiced his thoughts on his YouTube channel. Johnson believes the champ can be dethroned by a more-experienced version of Erceg or by undefeated contender Muhammad Mokaev.