UFC 301 Results, Pantoja Grinds out Title Defense & Aldo Looks Revived
The Jiu Jitsu of Alexandre Pantoja is what brought him to the dance and it’s what’s keeping him on top.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship took the octagon to South America. The Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil hosted UFC 301.
The main event of UFC 301 had been looked down on by many. Alexandre Pantoja defending the UFC Flyweight title against the number 10 ranked Steve Erceg. A fight that many were down on feeling that Erceg who was untested was not going to be much of a challenge for the champion.
While Pantoja has added a second successful title defense to his resume it was the fighter from Australia who proved he belong. Ten takedowns and a bit over eight minutes of control time, the two of the biggest factors that lead Pantoja’s retaining. At distance delivering damage is where “Astroboy” had success twice slicing Pantoja open with elbows in the 2nd & 4th rounds. When it came down to the deciding 5th round the champion’s experience, which was more than twice as much professionally and four times as much in the UFC, that made the difference in knowing how to win rounds. The victory a massive moment for Pantoja who was fighting in his home county for the first time in over a decade since moving to the United States.
Pantoja is currently writing out craving out a path to legendary status. He shared the marquee and the pressure of representing Brazil with the living legend Jose Also returning to MMA after a year away from living out his dream of Boxing professionally. You wouldn’t be wrong to have questioned what kind of Jose Aldo was returning. Would we see an Aldo coming for a payday or one that was a step behind from his time off. Unfortunately for Jonathan Martinez we saw the best Jose Aldo that’s fought in at least three years. Aldo had been very boxing oriented at the end of his MMA run. On Saturday night Aldo furiously ripped hooks to the body and implemented offense with his lower body in way we hadn’t seen in a long time. The Aldo onslaught finally went to the head in the third round twice wobbling Martinez and capping off the fight by taking Martinez down. The King of Rio sweeping the cards. The narrative has quickly changed from wondering would this encore be regrettable to could this be the first phase of one more title run for the Hall of Famer.
The calls for Anthony Smith to retire have been staved off for a while longer. Viktor Pitrino determined to get the takedown to his own determent getting stuck and forced to tap from a guillotine. Michel Pereira was as explosive and caused as much chaos as ever. Pereira knocked down Igor Potieria flip into side control, just missing what would be a fight ending illegal knee. Pereira catches Potieria in a guillotine forcing the tap while standing.
Jiu Jitsu specialist Caio Borralho ran his win streak to eight showing off his striking arsenal. Borralho continually pushed Paul Graig back with share jab-cross combinations from his southpaw position. A clean straight left put Craig down.
The featured prelim was a first for me. Joanderson Brito swelled up Jack Shore’s left leg like a hose with kinks in it. A meeting of the shins caused blood to flood out from a bullet hole like wound in Shore’s leg.
Twenty-two-year-old Brazilian prospect Iasmin Lucindo won her third in a row by unanimous decision ending Karolina Kowalkiewicz’s four-fight win streak. Lucindo was too fast for Kowalkiewicz leaving the Polish fighter swinging at air. The win should see Lucinda take Kowalkiewicz’s number 13 in the rankings.
Dakkar Klose won his fourth in a row in the deep waters of 155lbs. Klose mixed in off beat right hands and put Joaquin Silva on the fence to back the first two rounds. Silva put in a major effort for a comeback in the third with a tight guillotine and knocking Klose down with a pair of hooks, one from each side, but we saw the final bell. Klose getting the decision was ready with the callouts looking for a rematch with number six ranked Beneil Daruish or offering to exterminate number 12 ranked Jalin “The Tarantula” Turner.
The lightweight division has another exciting entrant after the scintillating debut of Mauricio Ruffy. Ruffy stopped a battle tested Jamie Mullarkey in the final twenty seconds of the first round. Taking ques from Conor McGregor’s style, Ruffy kept Mullarkey at long-range implementing calf kicks and a variety of hands met the charging Australian. Blood streaming from Mullarkey’s nose Duffy added some flash as a jump switch knee connects a right uppercut and right cross finish the proceedings.
A much-revamped Gabriel Bonfim got back in the win column sweeping the score cards over Vinc Pichel. Bonfim was patient and accurate, working the body and hurting Pichel several times never and managing to keep his aggression in check. The Flyweights ended the night, and they started the night Alessandro Costa took away Kevin Borjas lead leg with calf kicks, following a vulnerable Biorjas to the ground Costa took the back finishing the fight with right hands.
UFC 301 Main Card
- UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja (28-5) def. Steve Erceg (12-2) by (49-46, 48-47 x2) Unanimous Decision
- Bantamweight: Jose Aldo (32-8) def. Jonathan Martinez (19-5) by (30-27 x3) Unanimous Decision
- Light-Heavyweight: Anthony Smith (37-19) def. Vitor Petrino (11-1) by Submission (Guillotine Choke) 2:00 R1
- Middleweight: Michel Pereira (31-11) def. Ihor Potieria (21-6) by Submission (Guillotine Choke) 0:54 R1
- Middleweight: Caio Borralho (16-1) def. Paul Craig (17-8-1) by KO (Straight Left) 2:10 R2
Prelims
- Featherweight: Joanderson Brito (17-3-1) def. Jack Shore (17-2) by TKO (Leg Injury) 3:35 R2
- Women’s Strawweight: Iasmin Lucindo (16-5) def. Karolina Kowalkiewicz (16-8) by (30-27 x3) Unanimous Decision
- Lightweight: Myktybek Orolbai (13-1-1) def. Elves Brener (16-4) by (29-27 x3) Unanimous Decision
- Lightweight: Drakkar Klose (15-2-1) def. Joaquim Silva (13-5) by (29-28 x3) Unanimous Decision
Early Prelims
- Lightweight: Mauricio Ruffy (10-1) def. Jamie Mullarkey (17-8) by TKO (Right Hands & Jump Knee) 4:42 R1
- Women’s Flyweight: Dione Barbosa (7-2) def. Ernesta Kareckaite (5-1-1) by (29-28 x3) Unanimous Decision
- Lightweight: Ismael Bonfim (20-4) def. Vinc Pichel (14-4) by (30-27 x3) Unanimous Decision
- Flyweight: Alessandro Costa (14-4) def. Kevin Borjas (9-3) by TKO (Calf Kicks & Ground Strikes) 1:35 R2
- Featherweight: Jean Silva (12-2) vs. William Gomis (13-2) was cancelled due Gomis having medical issues
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