Alexandre Pantoja suffered a prior loss to an eventual Rizin grand prix champion and Jose Torres is excited to test skills with that warrior in question when both step into the ring to do battle in Japan. Appearing on Bowks Talking Bouts, Jose Torres as he prepares to clash with Hiromasa Ougikubo at Super RIZIN 4 on July 27th as part of the RFF flyweight grand prix. Ougikubo has a deep resume in the sport that includes a win over Alexandre Pantoja on points during their exhibition bout on season 24 of The Ultimate Fighter in August 2016. Alexandre Pantoja is also someone Torres has a training partner history with.
This is a tough short notice opportunity for Torres who recently made 125 pounds for the first time in close to four years for his last MMA bout at Brave CF 95 in May. The former UFC veteran was not in this grand prix field as recently as three weeks ago, and this short-notice tournament opportunity panned out in part because of the massive fan response online. When Torres mentioned he would not be in the grand prix, the ensuing traction led to it being his most popular post on X which led in part to RFF expanding the tournament field to include more fighters including Torres himself.
From expecting to fight again in September to preparing himself to compete against a man who ‘Shorty’ himself described as the best prospective opponent in this Rizin flyweight grand prix field, Torres said,
“I want to take the full opportunity with it and go one hundred percent. Especially with my first opponent being pretty much, more than likely the guy that was touted to win or if not, at least be in the finals. I mean Hiromasa what more could I ask for? This is the test I’ve been wanting.”
Ougikubo having a win over Alexandre Pantoja and Torres’ overview of the fight
Referencing a quote that Hiromasa Ougikubo made about how he wants the winner of this tournament to be seen as someone who could beat the UFC champion in the context of Ougikubo having a prior win over current UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja, Torres stated,
“Man, he’s [Ougikubo’s] a phenomenal fighter. Sadly, he is 38. So I think ever being signed or re-signed to the UFC is sadly a missed opportunity for him because he’s such a great fighter with a huge resume. But the fact is, man, just being able to, one, get recognized by a man like him. He did the whole prison thing. Like alright, my first day in prison so I don’t get messed with, I’m going to pick the biggest, baddest guy and beat him up. So everyone else knows not to mess with me.”
“I was the new guy with a big resume like him that was highly touted. He was like you know what; he had the opportunity to pick me, an empty spot, or someone else and immediately he jumped on the opportunity to fight me because he knows it’s a match for the fans. It’s a match for his legacy, again especially later in his career at 38. It’s a match for him to show how good he really is. I mean, how could I say no to that? Just as a fighter. Again, I love Dragon Ball Z and Goku never denies a challenge. I don’t even think he’s a good character.”
“He just wants to fight the best in the world. So for me, this is a really fun thing especially as me and Hiromasa are huge Dragon Ball Z fans. So it’s gonna be; I believe one hundred percent that whoever wins this fight, I won’t say will win the tournament because there’s a lot of underdogs in the tournament that are being overlooked and I have my fair share of examples, but I think for sure whoever wins this match will be in the finals.”
