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Stream UFC 317 on ESPN+ https://plus.espn.com/ufc/ppv
UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja speaks with ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto about his
relationship with Kai Kara-France that dates back to their time on The Ultimate Fighter.
#UFC317 #UFC #Pantoja
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Video Transcript
brett Okamoto on the ground in Las Vegas
ahead of UFC 317 we got the flyweight
champion Alessandre Pantosia who looks
to defend his title against Kai Cara
France and I just spoke to Kai and he
was kind of letting me know that you
guys you guys speak still you guys speak
offline you talked about when was the
fight happening you know are we on this
card are we on that card how would you
describe your relationship with Kai i
think it's friendship i don't know a
friend close friends but like uh uh I
appreciate his like his friendship like
uh he always good guy uh respectful and
uh I think everybody in the flyweight
division is like that you know everybody
respect each other couple years ago
people say bad things about the
flyweight maybe it's the division and I
think everybody puts that in his heart
and work hard to keep the flyweight on
you know on fire and Kar fence one of
the best fighters uh of the division you
know knock guys people like to see that
i like to see that and uh I'm super glad
to fight with him you know uh warrior
Moodi
all these aspect you know and uh I
remember when I finished Kakura he
texted me "Hey I'm the next one." And if
you're the next I'm happy for you you
know and uh I remember to say to him
he's look more dangerous right now
because he have a family you know I say
you look more dangerous right now nine
years ago you know because when I fight
the first time with him mate fighter he
don't have a wife or kids and now he
have a family he have more to lose you
know and he he have people to fight you
know and uh that make more danger guy
you know and I respect him but Saturday
is not friendly you know he's going to
be amazing That's a sport you know
that's But when the octagon's locked you
you put everything out you know i like
to say when I go to the fight I'm feel
free you know i can do whatever I want
it's not like a training my training
partner or sparring because I can hurt
my my my training partner but when I go
to the octagon when the octagon is
locked that's what I need to do i need
to hurt my opponent you know and uh
that's when I feel freedom to do
whatever I want you know and uh feel
that I think one of the amazing thing
amazing feeling I have in my life m yeah
and you answered one of my questions
there is that what has made him
different because he has been around for
a long time but he is it's just
something he seems to be having a lot of
momentum right now and of course he's
challenging for a title so he's going to
have momentum but that seems to be what
everybody is kind of a observation of
him is that he's putting it together
right now obviously at the right time
you attribute that to him having a
family huh like why do you think it's
what do you why do you think it's the
family part what are you seeing there in
his performances that you translate to
family you know in the tough times When
you have a family you you have more
powerful you know you you get your
strength strategy uh
you remember your family you remember
how you fight you don't fight just for
yourself you know you fight for for
something else you know you fight for
your future for your the future of your
kids and everything and I if you if I
can say he he involved of course he he
in top four right now maybe I'm involved
more because I'm the champion but the
the huge difference that right now you
know and that's good advice for me you
know I keep in my mind uh with attention
about that you know he not just some guy
you know now he's a he have a family uh
and I think when you're a daddy you good
husband mhm that's that's make you
dangerous of course you know last couple
times you you've came into Fight Week
and you've been headlining and you say
that you really take that seriously that
you want to you know continue to
represent the flyweight division is it
kind of nice though to have Elie and
Charles they're at the top and you know
you and Kai are just your fight's going
to speak for itself you don't have to
really promote this fight too much or
you not looking at it that way
necessarily yeah I think it was good
like try to promotion like to make more
relevant your fight of course all the
eyes look to the Charles and and Tupurya
i'm I'm look to that fight too i'm happy
because I'm fight before the guys and
then I can watch too uh and one of my
two favorite fighters you know Tupurya
fights so incredible all the time and
Charles like an icon from Brazil uh I I
want to appreciate that fight and me and
Kai fans I think is like a is good
starting you know for the main men main
event you know Kai Car have some bombs
in the hands i have like a Savage uh
style fight and uh it's going to be a
great night you know I'm sure of course
I'm with Brazil we have a lot of
Brazilians in that s car and uh that
night can be huge for Brazil what do you
make of his power do you think it's just
natural do you think he's smart in
setting it up do you think he's like his
eyes are good he see how is what is
dangerous about his power or is it just
natural or is there something he's doing
to create those moments people with that
powerful is like a uh something you
boring with you you know but of course
he he involved because he training and
put more technique in the hands but
that's something you you need i have
strong hands too i I want to show to
everybody that sometimes I punch my
opponent and then he give me opportunity
to go to the ground to the ground and I
finish with the grappling uh but Kar
fence is a good opportunity for me show
to everybody i have powerful hands too
and uh it's going to be amazing yeah man
i'm looking forward to it i told him the
same thing you know he's saying that
he's going to be coming forward he's
expecting a dog fight i can see that
you're prepared for that as well so very
much looking forward to that coming
event man good luck thanks so much guys
stay tuned we 217 let's go
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