Alexandre Pantoja takes inspiration from Rocky in wake of UFC 331 loss

Former UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja is finding motivation in the words of Rocky Balboa, after suffering a loss in his rematch against Joshua Van at UFC 331. Pantoja, who lost his title attempt to Van in just 26 seconds back in December, had hoped that the subsequent rematch would provide an opportunity to reclaim his championship.

However, Pantoja fell short, as he was defeated by Van in a unanimous decision, with scores of 50-45, 49-46, and 48-47. With back-to-back losses to the reigning champion and a separate title defense on his record, Pantoja's journey back to contention may prove to be more challenging than he anticipated. The former champion, who captured the title in 2023 through a split decision against Brandon Moreno, defended his title against Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg, Kai Asakura, and Kai Kara-France before Van's upset victory.

In the wake of his defeat, Pantoja turned to a quote from the iconic film "Rocky" for encouragement. He shared the sentiment on social media, crediting the film's titular character for his perseverance in the face of adversity.