In the aftermath of last month’s huge event, the UFC made a surprise visit to Rio de Janeiro last night for a pay-per-view.
While there wasn’t much name value attached to UFC 301: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg, the action on the night itself was entertaining, with several exciting finishes expected.
What were the main talking points from Rio’s event last night, and what potential effects might this have?
These are the main points to remember from Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg at UFC 301.
#5 How far can Michel Pereira truly push himself in the middleweight class of the UFC?
Michel Pereira was unquestionably one of the biggest winners of the previous night. In one of the most exciting performances in recent memory, “Demolidor” used just 54 seconds to finish off IhorPotieria by guillotine choke.
Pereira began by dropping “The Duellist” with a quick burst, then performed a trademark backflip guard pass to take control of the fight. A few moments later, he locked up the finishing guillotine.
With the victory, Pereira received his third consecutive $50,000 bonus. The Brazilian is currently riding an eight-fight winning streak, three of which have come at 185 pounds. How far can he go in the middleweight category of the UFC, then?
On the one hand, it’s doubtful that this victory will allow him to place outside of the top-15 because he is still mainly untested at the weight. However, the division doesn’t contain many more explosive fighters, therefore it’s not unreasonable to assume he could defeat ranked opponents like Paul Craig, Chris Curtis, and Anthony Hernandez.
‘Demolidor’ is essentially reaching his prime right now, so the UFC should give him a serious test the next time around because at 185 pounds, he might be a secret contender.
#4 Anthony Smith shuts the door on yet another opportunity
After his unsuccessful championship defense against Jon Jones five years ago, Anthony Smith has grown into one of the most formidable gatekeepers in the UFC light-heavyweight division.
Last night, ‘Lionheart’ demonstrated why he remains a very challenging opponent for youthful boxers by effectively shutting the door on another promising potential, VitorPetrino.
In this case, Petrino most likely brought himself to ruin. With his neck exposed, “Icao” chose to go for a double leg, but Smith quickly locked into a submission guillotine choke to force the tapout.
Nevertheless, it was nevertheless impressive to watch a fighter who has been around since 2008 turn back the challenge of a young prospect like this, especially considering that “Lionheart” was badly knocked out by Khalil Rountree in his last fight.
At 205 pounds, Smith is no longer a title candidate, but he’s still willing to demonstrate up-and-comers that they might not be prepared for the next level. The only issue at this point is which prospect Smith will go after next.
#3 At middleweight, CaioBorralho is prepared to face a top-10 opponent.
It’s easy for fans and the UFC itself to get excited about a fighter who consistently turns up highlight-reel finishes. These combatants, of course, usually end up on the fast track to success.
But it can take a lot longer for warriors who aren’t quite as showy. Consider CaioBorralho as an example. “The Natural” entered Friday night’s bout against Paul Craig on a 15-fight winning streak, five of which were in the octagon.
Still, most spectators were largely missing the Brazilian, since only one of his victories had come by finish. That ought to alter right now.
Borralho looked amazing last night. He controlled “The Bearjew” and stopped him in the second round with a brutal barrage of blows that started with a knee to the jaw, which would have instantly taken out most competitors.
‘The Natural’ has now achieved the breakthrough victory he needed to advance, and based on this performance, he appears to be prepared to face a top-10 opponent the following time around.
Hopefully, the UFC will grant him the opportunity, and we’ll observe if he can truly contend for the title at 185 pounds. Given his victory over Craig, he has every right to be.
#2 If Jose Aldo decides to re-sign with the UFC, what will happen next?
For many fans, the main event at UFC 301 was not the flyweight title battle but rather former featherweight champion and Hall of Famer Jose Aldo’s comeback match.
‘The King of Rio’ returned to action against Jonathan Martinez, and he looked fantastic despite not having competed since 2022. After shocking ‘The Dragon’ in the third round, he proceeded to outstruck him for three rounds in a row without any major problems and nearly finished the fight.
Now, the crucial question is: What should happen to Aldo next? Martinez’s fight was the last one left on his contract, and prior to the fight, he had announced that he had rejected a long-term contract offer from the UFC.
At that time, rumors circulated that Aldo would want to look into boxing, but last night’s post-fight promo made it seem like he wanted to stick with octagon fighting.
From the look of him, Aldo still has a lot to offer if that’s the truth. More importantly, there’s no justification for him to act as a gatekeeper for Dana White and associates.
He has two pre-arranged bouts against Dominick Cruz and Henry Cejudo, two elderly former champions, and after that, who knows? All in all, it was nice to have him back last night.
#1 How much longer can Alexandre Pantoja fight conflicts until his body gives out?
To say that Steve Erceg is among the most underappreciated UFC championship challengers in history wouldn’t be entirely inaccurate. ‘Astro Boy’ had only three octagon victories before yesterday night’s fight against flyweight kingpin Alexandre Pantoja, and nothing he’d done suggested he could defeat ‘The Cannibal’.
But for the third battle in a row, Pantoja was ultimately pushed to the limit because the Australian fighter occasionally refused to give up even under extreme circumstances.
Erceg consistently pressed the pace on the feet and used his acute boxing skills to inflict some painful cuts on the Brazilian with his fists and elbows. Practically speaking, we might have witnessed one of the biggest upsets in recent memory last night if it weren’t for Pantoja’s willingness to trade and significant grappling advantage.
Based on this, Erceg ought to remain at or close to the top for many years to come. As for Pantoja, though? ‘The Cannibal’ has engaged in three consecutive five-round bouts; at thirty-four, his physique must be bearing the consequences of these bouts.
After winning his title last night, the Brazilian can now boast two victories from successful defenses. But the way things are going, Father Time is going to catch up with him sooner rather than later. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise if he lost his title the following time around, depending on who his opponents are.
