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Alexandre Pantoja recently shared his thoughts on his fellow countryman Charles Oliveira's potential move to the UFC welterweight division. He noted that Oliveira may be too heavy for the lightweight division and that the weight cuts are affecting his recent performances.
'Do Bronx' is a former lightweight champion. However, he is 2-3 in his last five fights in the promotion. In his most recent fight at UFC 317, Oliveira suffered a first-round knockout defeat to Ilia Topuria. Following that bout, he is now set to fight Rafael Fiziev at UFC Rio on Oct. 11.
In a recent discussion on the Overdogs Podcast, while previewing Oliveira's upcoming clash against Fiziev, Pantoja commented on his fellow countryman, saying:
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"What I think is like the [weight cut] is maybe too much. When you cut too much weight, you need to understand this, all your water goes [out]... If you dry yourself too much, you make [yourself] vulnerable... I don't like to see that position. Maybe Charles' too heavy [for] that division. [If he moves up to the 170-pound weight class] make it more easy for him."
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Check out Alexandre Pantoja's comments below (39:46):
Oliveira is eager to make a quick comeback after his last defeat, but reports indicate that the Brazilian has no opponent for the UFC Rio card since Fiziev has reportedly withdrawn from the fight.
Alexandre Pantoja reacts to Charles Oliveira's UFC 317 defeat
Charles Oliveira is considered one of the fan-favorite fighters on the UFC roster. Along with that, fellow countrymen, including Alexandre Pantoja, admire Oliveira’s character and appreciate him deeply. Despite Oliveira's knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 317, Pantoja emphasized the former lightweight champion's status among their community.
In the UFC 317 post-fight press conference, 'The Cannibal' said:
"Nah, man. I just [saw] the last punches... When they put Topuria vs. Charles, it was so tough. But of course, I need to support Charles. Charles is an icon from Brazil, and this loss [doesn't] change anything about Charles... But Topuria is phenomenal. Topuria to me is one best to step in the octagon."
