Tag: Alexandre Pantoja

Steve Erceg believes he blew his chance to become the UFC flyweight champion on Saturday at UFC 301.

Erceg was fighting Alexandre Pantoja in the main event of the pay-per-view card in just his fourth UFC fight. It was an incredible rise for Erceg to even fight for the belt, but he came up just short against Pantoja, and he believes he blew his chance.

“I really thought if I could get him down I would eat up the time on the ground and make him even more tired,” Steve Erceg told FULL SEND MMA in the aftermath of UFC 301 (via MMAJunkie). “So I probably would’ve done the exact same thing. Next time I just need to be better at is. I thought it could’ve been 2-2 or 3-1 for him. I knew it was close in the third. I knew I was on the fourth. I fought to win the last round to put myself in the position that I give myself a chance. I blew it.”

Erceg shot a late takedown in the fifth round, and Pantoja ended up scrambling to get on top, and rode out the round, which could have been the difference. With Erceg leaving Brazil without the belt, he says he’s devastated by his decision but vows to be back.

“I’m obviously devastated,” Erceg said. “Despite the short notice, or three fights in the UFC, I came to win. I thought I could do it. I thought I was finishing over the top, but he out-scrambled me. He did better, and I’ll be back.”

Alexandre Pantoja Praises Steve Erceg

After UFC 301, Alexandre Pantoja heaped praise on Steve Erceg for how tough he was.

Pantoja edged out a unanimous decision win to defeat Steve Erceg and defend his flyweight title for the second time. After the win, the Brazilian had nothing but kind words to say to Erceg, but he believes he clearly won the fight.

“I think I clearly won the first three rounds of the fight,” Pantoja said through a translator at his UFC 301 post-fight media scrum (via MMAFighting). “The fourth round could of been his. The fifth round was mine, so I definitely think it was 4-1. The guy was very tough. It was what we said. This is a guy from Australia, very tough, that people didn’t really know, and he came in there to die. He was prepared to die and I think that’s what it’s all about when you fight for the championship.”

With the win at UFC 301, Pantoja improved to 28-5 as a pro. As for what’s next for him, he isn’t sure but Pantoja knows he likely will face him again in the future.

“I really want to see him against a top-five guy in this division,” Pantoja said of Steve Erceg. “I want to see how he works out. I think he’s going to gain a lot of space in this division, but right now I’m not thinking about that. I don’t want to think about the gym or fighting, I want to think about the beach. … Maybe tomorrow that changes, but for now that’s it.”

Undisputed flyweight champion, Alexandre Pantoja made good on his first outing on home soil since his move to the Octagon — successfully retaining his divisional title with a unanimous decision (48-47, 48-46, 49-46) over challenger, Steve Erceg in their UFC 301 main event clash.

Pantoja, the current undisputed flyweight titleholder, headlined tonight’s return to Rio de Janeiro at UFC 301, having successfully defended his crown at UFC 296 back in December in a rematch judging victory against Brandon Royval.

As for Erceg, the Australian — who was three-fights deep into a winning run and his Octagon stint to boot, earned his title fight with Pantoja tonight off the back of a stunning KO win over Matt Schnell just a month ago.

And beginning in typical aggressive fashion, Pantoja managed to scramble with success throughout his five round back-and-forth against Perth native, Erceg.

However, dealing with a massive cut across his forehead, Pantoja took his foot off the gas considerably in the fourth round — and managed to swing the bout in his favor in the fifth and final frame to successfully retain his throne atop the 125lbs division.

Below, catch the highlights from Alexandre Pantoja’s title defense against Steve Erceg

Ahead of their undisputed flyweight championship fight this weekend in Brazil at UFC 301, championship stars, Alexandre Pantoja and Steve Erceg squared off for a face-to-face meeting in front of the Sugarloaf mountain – taking in the Rio de Janeiro scenery. 

Pantoja, the current undisputed flyweight champion – approaching two fights into his title reign, returns to his native Brazil for the first time since a 2014 victory outside the UFC – making his promotional debut on home soil, nine years deep into his tenure.

For Erceg, the relatively organizational newcomer features in a championship setting for the first time since his move from Eternal MMA back in the summer of last year. And turning in a trio of consecutive victories since his move from the Australian promotion, Erceg looks to upset the applecart in his clash with Pantoja.

Alexandre Pantoja faces off with Steve Erceg in Rio

Squaring off for the first time this week ahead of Saturday’s title fight showcase at the Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Pantoja and Erceg were backdropped by the region’s huge Sugarloaf mountain – which also hosts the massive Christ the Redeemer statue.

Winning spoils at 125lbs back in July of last year during International Fight Week at UFC 290, Alexandre Pantoja turned in another career win over rival, Brandon Moreno to mint himself as the undisputed flyweight champion.

Returning in December at UFC 296, Pantoja landed his first successful defense of the championship with another decision win in a hard-fought rematch against Brandon Royval.

Earning his shot at Octagon just last month, Erceg turned in his first knockout win since landing in the promotion, finishing Matt Schnell with a blistering stoppage – landing himself Performance of the Night honors to boot.

UFC 301 will also host the return of Brazilian icon, Hall of Fame inductee, Jose Aldo – who competes in his final contracted bout against Jonathan Martinez, having remained sidelined for the past two years since his clash with Merab Dvalishvili. 

Who wins at UFC 301 this weekend: Alexandre Pantoja or Steve Erceg?