UFC 301
Review
And Still and the Return of the King of Rio
And Still, Alexandre!
Pantoja remains champion
The main event pitted champion against #10 contender. Alexandre Pantoja was challenged by Steve Erceg. In a thrilling and technically demanding fight, the local hero and titleholder once again demonstrated why he holds the flyweight belt.
In the first three rounds, Pantoja took the lead through precise boxing and sharp attacks, and ultimately, he couldn't be caught. Erceg showed a spirited performance, especially towards the end, but it wasn't enough to dethrone the "Cannibal." 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 for Pantoja, and still!
The old hands
Aldo, Smith, Pereira
The evening's co-main event saw the return of the King of Rio, José Aldo Junior. The former champion resigned from his retirement and took on Jonathan Martinez, the #12 contender in the bantamweight division. And what can we say? Aldo showed why he's still among the greats. With precise punch combinations and powerful kicks, the King of Rio was able to draw Martinez out of his shell, hitting him quite hard at times. In the end, it was a one-way street, with three defeats 30-27 for the UFC legend.
Before that, veterans Anthony Smith and Vitor Petrino did the honors. After a good start, Petrino became too hungry and tried to take Smith to the ground. Smith used all his routines and guillotine him, earning him a first-round submission victory.
The rest of the main card was completed by victories from showmaster Michel Pereira (Round 1/Submission) and Caio Borralho (Round 2/KO). Both received Performance of the Night bonuses.
What happens next?
Pantoja is looking for challengers
Für Alexandre Pantoja geht der Erfolgslauf weiter. Im Fliegengewicht scheint er Momentan das Maß aller Dinge zu sein. Viele brachten den Namen Sean O'Malley in die Debatte, dieser reagierte prompt mit einem Video auf Social Media, in dem er Pantoja beim Sparring auf den Boden tackelt. Generell scheint es unwahrscheinlich, dass Pantoja in naher Zukunft einen Kampf gegen den Superstar Sean O'Malley bekommt. Im Fliegengewicht wartet beispielsweise noch Amir Albazi auf seine Titelchance.