UFC 296: Alexandre Pantoja defends flyweight crown with rematch win over Brandon Royval - 'Brazil needs some idols'

Alexandre Pantoja defended his flyweight belt with a unanimous decision over Brandon Royval at UFC 296.

In a fascinating rematch that regularly buffeted from the highly technical to the all-out brawl that many predicted, it was the champion’s superior jiu jitsu that impressed the judges.

“This is the best show in the world,” Pantoja said. “This fight was maybe a bit boring, I don’t like to do this fight, but Brandon Royval is a very tough guy.

“I needed to keep this belt for my family and for Brazil. Brazil needs some idols right now, it’s a very hard place.”

Pantoja, who beat Brandon Moreno at UFC 290 to claim the title, flew out of his corner in a frenetic first round, but it was the challenger who looked the more dangerous on the feet in the early exchanges.

Where the champion had the advantage, however, was on the ground. His elite-level jiu jitsu and grappling began to wear on Royval in the second, while he also landed a late right hand that briefly buckled his opponent.

There were moments in the third and fifth rounds when Pantoja looked exhausted and susceptible to one of Royval’s slick combinations, but he was able to use his experience and nous to survive when he needed to before executing a takedown.

In the fourth, he dominated and nearly found a home for a rear naked choke. Royval then rallied at the start of the fifth but Pantoja ensured the contest ended on the ground as he completed a comfortable victory.

Shavkat Rakhmonov maintained his unbeaten record with a submission win over Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson.

Thompson, a UFC veteran, had vowed not to get finished by the devastating Kazakh fighter but was powerless to resist.

Wonderboy is renowned as one of the most skilled strikers ever to grace the Octagon but found little success offensively against the 29-year-old.

Although only a three-round fight, it felt a matter of time until the stoppage came and the moment arrived at the end of the second round when Rakhmonov locked his opponent in a rear naked choke.

At 40 years old and after a third loss in four, there may be some questions as to where Wonderboy goes from here, but there can be no doubt about the trajectory of his opponent.

"I believe the winner of the [welterweight] title fight, I'm ready to fight him," Rakhmonov said of the Leon Edwards v Colby Covington main-event bout, which the Brit won.

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