By FCF Staff

It remains to be seen if Kyoji Horiguchi and Alexandre Pantoja will need to cross paths, now that Horigicuchi is heading back to the UFC. But, according to Pantoja, he would welcome the opporunity to defend his flyweight title against his teammate.

Recently, Horiguchi (34-5) announced he is vacating RIZIN’s flyweight title as he has resigned with the UFC. The 34-year-old, who challenged Demetrious Johnson for the UFC’s flyweight title in 2015 and was submitted, also won the bantamweight titles for RIZIN and Bellator.

Due to Horiguchi’s resume and abilities, there is already talk about him challenging for the UFC’s flyweight crown again. While talking to MMA Fighting recently, Pantoja made it clear he would have no issue fighting his American Top Team training partner, provided it’s for the belt.

“We have 100 fighters [at ATT]. All the time we have teammates fighting. But Kyoji Horiguchi helped me get this belt. If I don’t have Kyoji Horiguchi, I don’t know if I have the opportunity to fight for the belt, I don’t know if I have the to be a champion one day. But I have Kyoji Horiguchi here on my side all my camps. And that’s what I say, if Kyoji Horiguchi helped me to conquer that, he helped my family too.

“And all the time I have the chance to say thank you to him, I say Kyoji, thank you for everything you did for me. And it’s gonna be a pleasure if I fight with him for the belt. Just for the belt. I don’t believe I’d fight with Kyoji without the belt, but for the belt, we are talking about that. And it’s gonna be like a gift, this opportunity to fight with Kyoji for the belt. I hope I can still hold this belt for so long and wait Kyoji for that. We really appreciate the opportunity. Me and him, I can make sure for you, when I spar with Kyoji in the gym, every fight stops in the gym and watches my training with him. It’s a pleasure. It’s like real gift to have Kyoji on my side.”

Pantoja (29-5) also reported in the interview that the UFC has informed Horiguchi they have an opponent and date in mind for his Octagon return. But, the 34-year-old champion did not disclose any additional details.

In recent weeks, there has been speculation that Pantoja could be booked to fight Kai Kara France next, but that has yet to happen.