Although there wasn’t much hype for UFC 301, which took place in Rio de Janeiro last night, it was nonetheless a fun event.
After their thrilling performances at UFC 301: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg last night, what should happen to some of the incredible fighters?
As usual, matchmakers Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have an abundance of options at their disposal.
Taking that into consideration, these are the five fights you ought to see following UFC 301: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg.
#5 UFC Middleweight Match: Michel Pereira vs. Chris Curtis
Last night, Michel Pereira left a lot to be desired. After less than a minute, “Demolidor” won his third middleweight title by submission over IhorPotieria.
While Pereira was formerly thought of as one of the most aggressive fighters in the UFC, he has now toned down his flashier moves, and it has worked well for him. After reducing his weight to 185 pounds, the Brazilian has gone eight fights without a loss and has made significant progress.
It’s definitely time to put him up against a competitor who is in the top 15, and right now, No. 15 Chris Curtis would be the best opponent for him.
Action Man can drag any opponent into deep water, hits like a truck, and is tough. In a recent late-notice match, he was narrowly defeated by the highly regarded Brendan Allen.
This struggle, in my opinion, would also teach us a lot about “Demolidor.” If he could easily defeat Curtis, it would be hard to ignore him as a title contender. If he could outlast “Action Man,” that would be as amazing, and if he lost, we would know exactly what his ceiling is.
Taking everything into account, this conflict makes a lot of logic and ought to be resolved soon.
#4 UFC middleweight match: CaioBorralho vs. NassourdineImavov or Jared Cannonier
Although CaioBorralho was somewhat unknown entering into yesterday night’s competition, he had a lengthy winning streak. Considering what happened with Paul Craig, that really shouldn’t be the case.
Last night, “The Natural” absolutely destroyed his Scottish opponent, putting him down with a combination that in the second round left him a shaky mess on the canvas. Simply expressed, Borralho is ready for a strong foe.
Given that, the Brazilian would be better off waiting to find out the result of Jared Cannonier vs. NassourdineImavov’s next fight. Both guys are ranked higher than “The Natural,” with Cannonier at No. 4 and Imavov at No. 8. Their bout is scheduled to take place at the UFC event in Louisville next month.
In either fight, Borralho would have the opportunity to challenge for the championship, and since a victory in June would not grant a title shot to either Cannonier or Imavov, they would have little to lose by facing “The Natural.”
In the end, Borralho’s triumph from last night merited a significant battle, and it’s now up to Dana White and company to provide it to him.
#3 UFC light-heavyweight match: Anthony Smith vs. Alonzo Menifield, Carlos Ulberg, or Bogdan Guskov
Despite becoming an unlikely title candidate in 2019, Anthony Smith has now established himself in a role that is recognizable to any elite senior fighter. You’re prepared for the greatest if you can pass “Lionheart,” the most formidable gatekeeper in the 205-pound class.
It remains to be seen if ‘Icao’ can overcome his setback when VitorPetrino failed that test last night. What will happen to Smith next?
A thrilling prospect like Carlos Ulberg or Alonzo Menifield would be a fantastic battle for “Lionheart,” but the UFC may hold off until the next week. They would want to test Smith’s chin because they are both powerful punchers, but the more experienced fighter would probably try to ground them and go for a submission.
Furthermore, it would be intriguing to play Bogdan Guskov, who defeated Ryan Spann last weekend to move into the top-15. He may not have the experience of Menifield or Ulberg, but his triumph over Spann is still better than anything any of them has ever accomplished.
If Smith continues to serve as gatekeeper, he essentially has a lot of options, and it would be fantastic to pair him with any of these three fighters.
#2 UFC bantamweight match: Jose Aldo vs. Dominick Cruz
Because of his senior age and the fact that he hasn’t competed since 2022, Jose Aldo’s big return to the UFC last night was always going to be dangerous. In the end, a great deal of exceptional fighters had already emerged from retirement just to be written off with their tail between their legs.
That was not the case with “The King of Rio,” though. Aldo looked fantastic as he destroyed the tough Jonathan Martinez with his trademark savage hitting. He even came close to putting ‘The Dragon’ away in the third round.
Despite his senior age, Aldo has a solid record of 4-1 in his prior five bantamweight bouts. If he decides to re-sign with the UFC, he is still among the most competitive competitors in the division.
Rather than turning him into a gatekeeper, it would be preferable for him to fight in some “dream matches” that we never saw while he was at his peak.
There are a few of them, and the first one would be great to watch Aldo fight the former bantamweight champion, Dominick Cruz. It appears that we were about to argue last night, but for some reason it didn’t work out.
“The Dominator” hasn’t fought since losing to Marlon Vera in 2022, but that is essentially unimportant. Nearly all MMA fans would be eagerly awaiting this match, and in Brazil in particular, it could easily co-headline a pay-per-view. If the promotion can make it work, they should definitely go for it.
#1 UFC flyweight championship matchup: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Muhammad Mokaev
The current flyweight champion, Alexandre Pantoja, discovered that the main event of last night was much harder than many fans had thought.
Following his victory over an unidentified opponent named Steve Erceg, “The Cannibal” was put to the test by the Australian opponent in the five-round fight, who frequently struck the Brazilian in the body.
It’s unlikely that Pantoja won’t petition the UFC for a leave of absence following his third straight five-round match, and he certainly deserves one.
But in the end, he’ll need to return to defend his title, and Muhammad Mokaev will probably be his toughest rival. “The Punisher” is currently riding a six-fight winning streak in the octagon and has an amazing 12-0 record overall.
Since the event last weekend, Mokaev’s case has gotten stronger, and it is likely that he deserved to win the title shot last night. Alex Perez beat Matheus Nicolau in the tournament’s main event; naturally, Mokaev had beaten Perez earlier in the year.
‘The Punisher’ is still a raw fighter, but his physicality, strength, and persistence make him a dangerous threat to Pantoja—especially if ‘The Cannibal’ keeps fighting the way he did last night.
When everything is taken into account, this would be an incredible flyweight title bout that should either be the main event or a co-feature of a big show, preferably in 2024.
