Alexandre Pantoja will defend his flyweight title against Steve Erceg at UFC 301, with both fighters having agreed to the matchup but not yet signed bout agreements.
Alexandre Pantoja is up for a challenge. He’s set to defend his flyweight title at UFC 301. The opponent? Rising star Steve Erceg. This news came straight from the UFC on Friday.
Now, here’s the scoop. MMA Fighting has got the inside track. Both fighters have given the thumbs up for the clash. But, no signatures on the bout agreements yet.
Pantoja’s record? Impressive. He’s at 27-5. He snagged the 125-pound championship in 2023. Not just that, he defended it too. His victims? Brandon Moreno and Brandon Royval. That’s five wins on the trot for him.
Erceg’s no pushover though. His record stands at 12-1. He’s been on a roll since he joined UFC in 2023. Three straight wins, folks. The cherry on top? A brutal knockout of Matt Schnell this past March.
Pantoja’s take on Erceg? “He’s a tough opponent,” he admitted on UFC Fight Pass show Bancada. “Tougher than Royval and Moreno for me. He’s a dark horse, coming from down the rankings. He’s got nothing to lose. He’s fresh, ranked No. 10. But, I’ve got the upper hand in experience. That’s my trump card in the octagon. Can’t underestimate him though. He hits hard.”
UFC 301’s got more in store. Two more matchups announced. Middleweight division sees Michel Pereira squaring off against Mahmud Muradov. And in the strawweight bout, former title contender Karolina Kowalkiewicz is up against Iasmin Lucindo.
Where’s all this action going down? UFC 301 is set for May 4. The venue? Jeunesse Arena. And guess what? It’s in Pantoja’s home turf, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Stay tuned for the updated lineup.