Pantoja failed to defeat Hiromasa Ogikubo in the semifinals and was eliminated from the tournament. The UFC didn’t ignore the potential they saw in Pantoja, however, granting him a contract and quickly pairing him with fellow TUF man Eric Shelton for his UFC debut.
Although he didn’t win TUF, the show gave the world the opportunity to truly appreciate the flyweight division and see just how talented fighters like Pantoja are. Today, the flyweight division is known for delivering incredible fights that are fought at a high pace with top-of-the-line technical skills. Other well-known flyweights from Pantoja’s TUF season included Moreno, Kara-France, Matt Schnell and Tim Elliott. It was a pretty special generation of athletes.
WATCH: Pantoja’s Favorite UFC Fights
Today, Pantoja is the champion of the division, and even though he didn’t win the show, there’s no doubt how important this season of The Ultimate Fighter was not only for Pantoja, but for the upcoming generation of flyweights.
Pantoja is scheduled to defend his title against rising contender Steve Erceg on May 4 in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro. UFC 301 will be Pantoja’s first fight in Brazil since joining the UFC and it will also be his first main event.