UFC 301 headliner labored for Uber Eats three years in the past – now he is world champ
Alexandre Pantoja once routinely carried a refrigerated bag of food he wasn’t allowed to touch – now he’s proudly brandishing UFC gold.
The Brazilian has become one of the fighting division’s biggest stars over the last three years. On May 4, he returns home to Rio De Janeiro to defend his title against Steve Erceg. Five months previously, he became the flyweight champion at UFC 290, edging out Mexican fighter Brandon Moreno for the second time in a thrilling Las Vegas clash.
The margins of his biggest career victory were thin, just like the crusts of the pizzas Uber Eats offer to their peckish customers – along with burgers, tacos, kebabs, well pretty much any takeaway you can think of. Pantoja would know, as he was delivering all of the above and more.
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In an interview with the MMA Hour, Pantoja, 34, revealed he was still working for the food delivery company before his first match against Royval in 2021. “That’s about sacrifice for me,” he said. “I won the fight with Manel [Kape] and used the money as down payment for the house, and bringing my family back was the most important for myself.
“Money was short, and my wife started to clean houses, and I started to drive Uber Eats. But I’d do this again if I needed. It’s not just about myself, this is about my family and my kids, my two boys.”
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(Image: Getty Images)
(Image: Getty Images)
Pantoja was able to walk away from Uber beats when he managed to secure himself the $50,000 (£40,000) Performance of the Night bonus Dana White offers. Yet, he is keeping himself grounded. He knows things were completely different not long ago. “One week before the fight, I’m delivering Uber Eats, it’s raining and I’m sick,” he added.
“When I go to fight week I’m very sick, and I’m very scared of getting Covid again. And I just prayed it’s not Covid, because I just had one month for my bills.
(Image: Getty Images)
“When I made weight and everything is OK, I just say thank you for God, because I had a knee injury, my ACL was completely broken, and I was sick, but when I got the money of the fight I know it was OK, I had six months to live.
“But then I won the fight, and I won the bonus, I can have surgery and relax for a couple of months and recover good.”
