Alexandre Pantoja had to battle until the final second to ensure he thwarted a valiant challenge from Steve Erceg in the UFC 301 main event.
It was a back-and-forth war over five rounds with each competitor winning enough moments to feel like the fight would be decided in the final five minutes. Ultimately, Pantoja’s ability to control Erceg on the ground helped him secure the win as he retained his title in front of a raucous crowd in Rio de Janeiro.
The final scorecards read 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46 with Pantoja getting the nod by unanimous decision.
“I’m in here to fight the best in the world and this guy’s one of them,” Pantoja said following the win. “What a tough opponent to have in here. I think I need to move my head, these guys are hitting me too much. What an incredible guy, an incredible opponent.”
Aggressive as always, Pantoja looked to overwhelm Erceg at the start of the fight but the Australian showed patience and good counters to keep him honest. Following some striking exchanges on the feet, Pantoja scored his first takedown with just over two minutes remaining in the opening round as he looked to showcase his grappling dominance.
Pantoja stayed methodical as he looked to take a more dominant position but Erceg defended well until he finally scrambled back to his feet again.
When he was able to lead with his jab, Erceg backed Pantoja off but he still had to find a way to break free from the constant takedown attempts. Erceg did manage to clip Pantoja with several stiff punches and a slick inside elbow that allowed him to start mounting a better offense.
Erceg did his best work at distance but he was also wary not to overextend himself with Pantoja firing back with big, looping punches and heavy handed combinations. As Pantoja rushed forward with a blitz of punches, Erceg countered with a perfectly timed elbow that sliced right across the champion’s head.
Blood immediately began pouring down Pantoja’s face as he fought to drag Erceg to the canvas and work from there.
As the fight moved into the championship rounds, Erceg continued working behind straight punches and his jab with Pantoja firing back over the top to deal with the taller, longer fighter. Erceg was landing with more regularity but also staying patient to ensure he kept Pantoja in front of his punches.
It also looked like Pantoja was slowing down slightly but that didn’t stop him from reversing a takedown and putting Erceg on the defensive instead. Unfortunately for Pantoja, his attempts to drag Erceg back to the canvas was blocked by a fence grab that the referee didn’t call before the fighters separated back to the feet again.
With less than two minutes remaining, Erceg went for another takedown but Pantoja quickly reversed to land on top to maintain control. Pantoja closed the fight with some ground and pound to cement his victory and thwart the potential upset from the unlikely challenger.
Understandably disappointed with the outcome, Erceg took full ownership for the mistakes he made in that final round that likely cost him the fight.
“I thought that if I could win the last round at least, I’d give myself a chance,” Erceg said. “I just blew it.”
Despite the outcome, Erceg proved in just his fourth UFC fight that he absolutely belongs at the top of the flyweight division. Considering his performance, it probably won’t take long for him to earn his way back to another shot at the belt.
As for Pantoja, it was another grueling night at the office but that’s become his stock and trade as he dispatches another contender and maintains his spot as the top 125-pounder in the UFC.
