Alexandre Pantoja walks into UFC 323 to take on Joshua Van with four title defenses behind him and a reputation as one of the toughest flyweights of his era. But for all the grit and resilience he shows inside the cage, the story that shaped him the most was written long before he ever fought under bright lights, long before belts, and long before applause.

Buried beneath his rise is a childhood marked not by medals, but by absence. Fans see the champion who has never been finished in 35 professional fights, but few know the boy who watched his mother carry the weight of an entire household alone. And as Alexandre Pantoja climbed toward UFC gold, that childhood shadow followed him quietly, revealing itself only in rare moments. So what exactly happened with his father? And why did that relationship resurface so powerfully after he became champion?

Who is Alexandre Pantoja’s father? Abandonment and early struggles

The UFC flyweight champion’s past is not all sunshine and rainbows. Born on April 16, 1990 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Pantoja’s family struggled financially. There’s been an emotional disconnect between Pantoja’s family and his father from the time when they were kids.

His father’s identity remains unknown, but while having another conversation, Pantoja explained that his father was an alcoholic, and they used to have a lot of fights, and one day he left. 

Pantoja has no animosity toward his father anymore. Time and time again, he has asserted that he only wants him to acknowledge him, but it seems like things are not working in his favor. But nothing revealed just how deep those wounds ran until Pantoja became UFC champion and addressed his father directly on live television.

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Alexandre Pantoja’s emotional message to his dad after winning the title

After winning his championship bout against Brandon Moreno, ‘The Cannibal’ took the mic in tears and asked his father if he was proud of him. This incident shocked the MMA community, as they were not aware of the Brazilian’s troubled relationship with his father.

In the post-match interview, Pantoja added that he left everything for MMA and asked whether his father was proud of him or not. “I leave everything I have. My mum, take care of me and my two brothers alone. You know, now Dad, are you proud of me Dad? You proud of me?” 

But the real story isn’t the pain, it’s how Alexandre Pantoja refused to let that pain define him.

How Alexandre Pantoja overcame his father’s absence to succeed

The troubled life of Alexandre Pantoja also has moments of redemption. As mentioned earlier, Pantoja’s mother has three children: Pantoja and his two brothers. ‘The Cannibal’ explained that he has seen his mother suffer while taking care of them, and it has helped him on his journey. Besides his parents and siblings, Pantoja has a beautiful family as well.

Alexandre Pantoja is married to Gabryella Gouvêa Pantoja. ‘The Cannibal’ started dating Gabryella way back in 2008 and married her soon after. She is a housewife who likes to take care of her family and kids and is a strong woman who helped Pantoja during the rough times of 2021 by taking odd jobs for the sake of her family.

They have two kids Cauã Pantoja and Nicolas Pantoja. Both of the kids are very young, and their exact age is unknown.

Nonetheless, each title defense feels like another chapter in a story where he refuses to repeat the past. Each win is another quiet answer to the question he asked the night he became champion. But at UFC 323, as he prepares for Joshua Van, Alexandre Pantoja isn’t just defending a belt. He’s defending the life he built despite the absence that shaped him.