Brazilian champion Alexandre Pantoja successfully defended his 125-pound belt against Steve Erceg in the main event main event UFC 301. The fight card aired live on pay-per-view from Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Saturday, May 4.
Pantoja defeated Erceg by unanimous decision in an all-round showdown. In the third round the challenger created a gash on his opponent’s head with a big right overhand elbow. He was also strong in the fourth. Nevertheless, after five rounds at flyweight, the scores were 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46, all in favor of the champion, who was strong in the earlier rounds, as well as the final.
With the victory, Alexandre Pantoja made the second successful defense of his title. The 33-year-old native of Arraial do Cabo, Rio de Janeiro improved to 29-5 and secured his sixth win in a row.
No. 10-ranked flyweight contender Steve Erceg didn’t succeed in his first attempt to become UFC champion. The 28-year-old Perth, Western Australia native dropped to 12-2, which snapped his 11-fight winning streak.
Get UFC 301: Pantoja vs Erceg full card results.