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Alexandre Pantoja retains title in Brazil return, beats Steve Ercog in thin decision win – UFC 301 Highlights

Alexandre Pantoja retains title in Brazil return beats Steve Erceg in hard fought win UFC 301 Undisputed flyweight champion, Alexandre Pantoja made good on his first outing on home soil since his move to the…

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

‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley shares screenshot from fabled sparring session with UFC 301’s Alexandre Pantoja

Ahead of Alexandre Pantoja’s next flyweight title defense, ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley released a screenshot from a past sparring session…

Ahead of Alexandre Pantoja’s next flyweight title defense, ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley released a screenshot from a past sparring session between the two titleholders.

This Saturday night, Pantoja puts his 125-pound crown on the line against unlikely title challenger Steve Erceg in the UFC 301 headliner in Rio de Janeiro.

The fight comes five months removed from a successful defense against Brandon Royval at UFC 290 in December.

Days before their highly anticipated clash in Brazil, Sean O’Malley shared an image from a 2015 sparring session where ‘Sugar’ is said to have folded ‘The Cannibal’ with a perfectly placed liver shot.

Sean O'Malley sparring Alexandre Pantoja

At that point, Pantoja had not yet made his UFC debut but already competed in 18 fights as a professional mixed martial artist whereas O’Malley turned pro the same year he threw hands with Pantoja in the gym.

Tim Welch Reveals How Sean O’Malley Put Down Alexandre Pantoja

Sean O’Malley’s longtime coach Tim Welch offered some insight into the incident on his YouTube channel, confirming that ‘Sugar’ promptly put Pantoja down during the encounter.

“[He wasn’t] really in fight camp at all,” Welch said on his YouTube channel. “Going to sparring to get a few rounds in and Henry [Cejudo] is like, ‘Hey, you want to spar this guy?’

“So Sean says ‘Yeah, I’ll spar him.’ They spar one round, Sean comes out on a rip, puts him down. Puts him down in the first minute. Now mind you this is — I don’t even remember what year this is — I don’t even think Sean was a professional yet, he might have been a professional just breaking in. Sean comes out there, bounces around, young buck. Boom, hits him with a liver shot, puts him down.

“Pantoja has to stop, he has to wave it off, go over to Henry, kneel down, call it off. I mean there’s a video, never released video but he puts him down” (h/t MMA Mania).

Photos – Alexandre Pantoja faces off with Steve Erceg in front of Sugarloaf Mountain ahead of UFC 301 title fight

Ahead of their undisputed flyweight championship fight this weekend in Brazil at UFC 301, championship stars, Alexandre Pantoja and…

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.

Pantoja UFC 301 Buda Mendes — Mandatory Credit: Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC

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.

Erceg UFC 302 Buda Mendes — Mandatory Credit: Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC

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?

Exclusive – Steve Erceg reveals how his unlikely title fight with Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 301 came together

Just three fights into his career in the Octagon, Australian standout Steve Erceg has already teed up his first…

Just three fights into his career in the Octagon, Australian standout Steve Erceg has already teed up his first shot at UFC gold.

On Saturday, May 4, ‘AstroBoy’ will headline UFC 301 when the promotion returns to Rio de Janeiro. There, Erceg will challenge reigning and defending flyweight world champion Alexandre Pantoja in a fight that nobody saw coming — at least not this soon.

Speaking with Andrew Whitelaw in a LowKick MMA exclusive interview, Erceg offered some details on how the unlikely title tilt came together, revealing along the way that he was essentially in the right place at the right time.

“I expected there’d be quite a few more people ahead of me that would get a shot,” Erceg said. “The way it came together was that all the guys ahead of me except for [Muhammad] Mokaev were injured, had already fought, missed weight, and all that stuff. So it really came down to who performed better at the Vegas show. I finished Matt Schnell and Mokaev had a tough outing [against Alex Perez] so they gave me the opportunity.”

Competing on a Fight Night card in March, Erceg delivered a destructive second-round knockout of Schnell while Mokaev put together a lackluster showing against Perez. That’s all the UFC needed to know who the next man up at flyweight should be.

That and Brandon Royval’s stunning short-notice win over Brandon Moreno a month earlier.

Steve Erceg excited to fight Pantoja on his home turf

Steve Erceg knows a thing or two about winning titles, having captured the Eternal MMA flyweight championship in March 2020. Of course, ‘AstroBoy’ recognizes that there is a big difference between winning a title on the regional scene versus bagging one on MMA’s biggest stage.

“I know I can rise to the occasion, but obviously winning a world title in the UFC is a very different thing,” Erceg said. “It’ll be the culmination of all my hard work. The other titles are cool and all, but they mean a lot less than this one.”

Erceg will certainly have his work cut out for him in his first UFC main event. Not only is he taking on the best flyweight fighter on the planet, but he’ll be doing so in enemy territory.

“I’m excited for it,” Erceg said when asked about fighting Pantoja on his home turf. “I know the crowd is going to be very loud. Not for me. They’re going to be booing me, obviously, but I’ve had some hostile crowds before. Nothing to the level of this, but I love it. I’m gonna relish the opportunity and I can’t wait to beat the Brazilian in front of his home crowd and then leave with the belt.”

Watch the full exclusive interview with Steve Erceg below:

Exclusive – Steve Erceg excited to share the stage with Jose Aldo at UFC 301: ‘The King of Rio is back!’

Steve Erceg can’t wait to share the stage at UFC 301 with one of the greatest featherweights of all…

Steve Erceg can’t wait to share the stage at UFC 301 with one of the greatest featherweights of all time — Jose Aldo.

On Saturday, May 4, UFC Hall of Famer returns to the Octagon for the first time in nearly two years when the promotion heads back to his home country for a loaded night of fights at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro. Stepping into the co-main event spotlight, ‘Junior’ will square off with streaking bantamweight standout Jonathan Martinez.

Speaking with Andrew Whitelaw in a LowKick MMA exclusive interview, Steve Erceg — who headlines UFC 301 opposite reigning and defending flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja — is thrilled about the opportunity to share MMA’s biggest stage with one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters the sport has ever seen.

“He’s one of my favorite fighters of all time,” Erceg said of Aldo. “My coach was a big leg kicker and Jose Aldo’s kicks to the leg are some of the best you’ll see. I’m a big fan of his and I understand that he probably won’t be a big fan of mine at the time, but it’s super cool to fight on a card with him and for Brazil. The ‘King of Rio’ is coming back. How can you not be excited?”

Steve Erceg breaks down his unlikely title fight with ‘the cannibal’ at UFC 301

Just three fights into his run with the promotion, Steve Erceg will fight for his first world title when he meets the flyweight division’s top dog, Alexandre Pantoja, in the UFC 301 headliner.

Pantoja goes into his latest defense with an overall record of 27-5 with eight of his wins coming by way of knockout and another 10 via submission. Recognizing the well-roundedness of his opponent, Erceg knows that he’s in for a tough test, but is undeniably excited for the opportunity to show up and show out against the best of the best.

“He’s very good. Obviously, he’s a world champion,” Erceg said. “His ground game is his best asset. He’s a black belt in jiu-jitsu. He’s great off the back and he’s a lot stronger than I think people give him credit for. There are positions where his opponent will get underhooks and you expect them to use that to get up, but they can’t seem to find an avenue to move.

“The other asset I guess would be his chin. He does a lot of things wrong on the feet, but he gets away with it because of his chin. He’s a great fighter. He’s tough. I’m not gonna just run over him. It’s going to be a very hard well-fought fight and we’re going to see who the best man is.”

Alexandre Pantoja defends against Steve Erceg

As for how Erceg plans on leaving Brazil with UFC gold wrapped around his waist, ‘AstroBoy’ believes it will come down to controlling the pace and taking away opportunities for the champ to gather himself mid-fight.

“If I let him dictate the pace, that is bad for me,” Erceg added. “I have to make sure that I take it out of his realm. He does burst really hard when he’s going, but he does need those rests to get his breath back and continue on with the fight. If I can take those rests away, I think it’s going to be a bad night for him.”

Currently, Pantoja is a sizeable favorite going into the scrap, sitting at -250 on a majority of sportsbooks. An understandable spot considering he holds victories over some of the biggest names to come through 125, including Manel Kape, Brandon Royval, Alex Perez, and former flyweight titleholder Brandon Moreno on two separate occasions.

“He’s beaten a lot of guys who I thought were more talented, that’s for sure. … He’s definitely got some good genetics,” Erceg concluded.

Watch the full exclusive interview with Steve Erceg below:

Alexandre Pantoja opens as big betting favorite to beat Steve Erceg in UFC 301 title fight in Brazil

Set to make his homecoming in May at UFC 301, undisputed flyweight champion, Alexandre Pantoja has opened as an…

Set to make his homecoming in May at UFC 301, undisputed flyweight champion, Alexandre Pantoja has opened as an impressive betting favorite to defeat surging division contender, Steve Erceg in the pair’s title offing in Rio de Janeiro this summer.

Pantoja, the current undisputed flyweight champion, has been sidelined since last December, landing an impressive decision win over recent UFC Mexico City headliner, Brandon Royval in the duo’s championship rematch.

As for Erceg, the three-fight promotional veteran cracked the flyweight top ten at the beginning of the month, landing a blistering knockout win over Matt Schnell – which earned him a Performance of the Night bonus, and subsequently, he is first title siege.

Alexandre Pantoja opens as favorite to beat Steve Erceg

And with betting lines officially on offer for UFC 301, Alexandre Pantoja is currently riding an impressive -258 betting favorite line over the +210 betting underdog, Steve Erceg ahead of their title showdown at the Jeunesse Arena.

A host of betting sites and markets are already offering odds on Pantoja’s title fight return to his native Brazil against Erceg, and punters can also play their favorite slot games and other betting games – which includes the chance to play a Big Bamboo Demo game whilst punting on May’s return to South America for the UFC.

Striking championship spoils back in July of last year during International Fight Week, Pantoja, the current number ten ranked pound-for-pound ranked fighter under the banner of the promotion – did so with a third career win over former two-time champion, Brandon Moreno.

Extending his impressive winning spree to five straight fights with his title defense win over Royval back in December, Pantoja turned in prior submission wins over Alex Perez, and Royval before that – to go with a decision success against the highly-touted Angolan-born contender, Manel Kape.

Alexandre Pantoja set to fight Steve Erceg in title clash at UFC 301 in Brazil on May 4 — Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie – USA TODAY Sports

Improving to 12-1 as a professional with his knockout win over Schnell, Western Australia prospect, Erceg had landed a pair of victories against both David Dvorak and Alessandro Costa in his first two outings under the banner of the UFC – making his debut just last summer in June.

Fighting for gold in May, Erceg’s involvement at UFC 301 will come as a swift title charge for the Perth-born contender, who will be just eleven months deep into his tenure with the promotion by the time he faces Pantoja later this year in Brazil.

Along with Pantoja’s championship fight against Erceg at UFC 301, over the weekend, reports confirmed that former undisputed featherweight champion and Hall of Fame inductee, Jose Aldo would be snapping his almost two-year retirement from the sport in a bantamweight fight against Jonathan Martinez.

Jose Aldo snaps retirement set to fight at UFC 301 against Jonathan Martinez in Brazil — Mandatory Credit: Chris Unger – Zuffa LLC

Aldo, a fan-favorite striker and the promotion’s inaugural featherweight titleholder, has been sidelined since he dropped a one-sided unanimous decision loss to surging number one ranked bantamweight contender, Merab Dvalishvili – snapping a three-fight winning spree against Rob Font, Pedro Munhoz, and a decision win over most recent title challenger, Marlon Vera – who challenged for gold just earlier this month at UFC 299 against the incumbent, Sean O’Malley.

Who wins at UFC 301 in May: Alexandre Pantoja or Steve Erceg?