Welcome home, Alexandre Pantoja. The UFC flyweight champion authored another gritty performance -- something that's becoming his trademark -- on Saturday in his first fight in Brazil in a decade. UFC 301 marked a gratifying homecoming for the champ.
Pantoja left Brazil in 2014 to ply his mixed martial arts craft on the regional U.S. circuit. He soon signed with UFC but hadn't fought on home soil for the promotion in the many years that followed. Pantoja returned to his hometown of Rio de Janeiro on Saturday as UFC flyweight champion, hoping to take the baton from "The King of Rio" Jose Aldo, who fought in the co-main event. Pantoja's victory on Saturday won't produce many highlights but further underlines his unwavering determination.
Pantoja pressured Erceg from start to finish. The champ's in-your-face style earned him a few wounds but coerced the challenger into making key grappling errors. Pantoja sported cuts over both eyebrows by the 25-minute mark, but his persistent takedowns and haymaker punches earned him scorecards reading 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46.
"I think I need to move my head more. These guys are hitting me too much..." Pantoja said in his post-fight interview. "I think I need a little bit of a break. I've fought three times in the past year."
Pantoja's gone 15 full rounds in his three UFC title fights, including a July 2023 title win against Brandon Moreno that many anointed Fight of the Year.
Erceg's camp made a crucial mistake in telling their fighter he was down three rounds heading into Round 5. Erceg notably employed more offensive grappling in Round 5, giving Pantoja key rounds to reverse position. The scorecards revealed that two judges had the fight even heading into the final frame.
"I was surprised how well he could scramble," a dejected Erceg told UFC commentator Daniel Cormier afterwards. "I usually beat guys there so it was a shock.
"I thought if I could win the last round I'd at least give myself a chance. I blew it."
Elsewhere, the "King of Rio" also returned and made it a success as Jose Aldo outpoint Jonathan Martinez to get back in the win column. Aldo walked away from MMA following a 2022 loss to Merab Dvalishvili. But the former featherweight king had one fight left on his deal and was determined to fight out of his contract for free agency. He did just that in spectacular fashion by thwarting a rising contender who had won six fights in a row heading in. Plus, light heavyweight veteran Anthony Smith bounced back in a big way by submitting Vitor Petrino in the first round. And Michel Pereira continued his high-flying act by nearly landing a backflip on Ihor Potieria before locking up a standing guillotine submission in the first round.
CBS Sports was with you the entire way on Saturday bringing you all the results and highlights from the UFC 301 below.
UFC 301 card, results
- Alexandre Pantoja (c) def. Steve Erceg via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47)
- Jonathan Martinez def. Jose Aldo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Anthony Smith def. Vitor Petrino via first-round submission (guillotine choke)
- Michel Pereira def. Ihor Potieria via first-round submission (guillotine choke)
- Caio Borralho def. Paul Craig via second-round KO (punches)
- Joanderson Brito def. Jack Shore via second-round TKO (doctor stoppage)
- Iasmin Lucindo def. Karolina Kowalkiewicz via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Myktybek Orolbai def. Elves Brener via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
- Drakkar Klose def. Joaquim Silva via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Mauricio Ruffy def. Jamie Mullarkey via first-round TKO (knee, punches)
- Dione Barbosa def. Ernesta Kareckaite via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Ismael Bonfim def. Vinc Pichel via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Alessandro Costa def. Kevin Borjas via second-round TKO (punches)