Alexandre Pantoja (27-5) will be warmly welcomed at UFC 301. He’s returning to his home crowd in Brazil with the UFC Flyweight Championship in hand. The hometown fighter is also starring in the main event, with a chance to walk away victorious.
On the other hand, there’s Steve Erceg (12-1). The Australian fighter is the 10th-ranked flyweight fighter in the division, with a chance to become the champion on Saturday. But can he pull off the massive upset?
The Tape On Alexandre Pantoja
Alexandre Pantoja is one of the more decorated flyweights in UFC’s history. The Brazilian star has earned “Performance of the Night” honors (three times), and “Fight of the Night” honors (twice), and is your current UFC Flyweight Champion.
Pantoja is a well-rounded fighter, mixing in strikes with solid grappling. That should be the strategy going into Saturday’s fight, with the champion trying to overwhelm Erceg. Pantoja has had five of his last eight fights come down to a decision, so an all-around fighting clinic would help the champ. Erceg also doesn’t have overwhelming strikes so some solid countering will help the champ.
The Tape On Steve Erceg
Steve Erceg does have a 12-1 record heading into the fight. A victory for the Australian fighter would propel him up the pound-for-pound rankings and establish himself as a name. But how can he pull off a surprising victory?
For one, he must be better offensively. His offensive game isn’t the best, specifically when it comes to taking his opponents down. Erceg is only landing 30% of his takedowns, which is an alarming trend for the fighter. He must clean up his act against Alexandre Pantoja or else he’ll be devoured by the “Cannibal”. That also goes for the striking (48%). Landing quality strikes and using proper techniques will help him shock the world.
The Verdict
Everything is lining up for an Alexandre Pantoja victory. He’s in his home country, Steve Erceg has never been in the spotlight before, and the champion is feeling good about himself. Therefore, it’s expected that the Brazilian flyweight will continue his reign as the UFC Flyweight Champion after Saturday.
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Jacob Walters is a boxing/MMA writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @IceColdWJacob
