UFC 301 full results: Alexandre Pantoja outlasts Steve Erceg to retain flyweight belt
Alexandre Pantoja's face was covered in blood by the end of UFC 301, but he's still champion.
Fighting in his home country of Brazil, Pantoja held off challenger Steve Erceg to retain the UFC flyweight belt with a unanimous decision win (48-47, 48-47, 49-46). Before that, José Aldo energized the crowd in the co-main event with a dominant win over Jonathan Martinez in his return from retirement.
Here's how the entire card played out.
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RESULT: Alexandre Pantoja def. Steve Erceg by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
THE FLYWEIGHT KING IS HERE TO STAY 👑🇧🇷@PantojaMMA defeats Steve Erceg by UD to retain his flyweight belt!
[ B2YB @CryptoComOfficial | #UFC301 ] pic.twitter.com/ccocT5VZOF— UFC (@ufc) May 5, 2024
This fight will go to a decision. It looked like Pantoja pulled it out in the fifth round, but we'll now go to the cards.
Pantoja's got another cut by his right eye.
Erceg just got away with a fence grab as Pantoja tries to take him down.
Round 4 should go for Erceg, with Pantoja still bleeding badly from his forehead. We're in an interesting situation where Pantoja's corner is telling him he's won three rounds, but this fifth round seems likely to be the decider. Erceg's corner is telling him not to sell out here.
Both Pantoja and Erceg's corners are telling their fighters that Pantoja has won all three rounds so far.
10-9 Pantoja, but that badly damaging elbow may swing the round in the eyes of a judge.
29-28 Pantoja for me heading into the championship rounds.— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 5, 2024
Pantoja has a huge cut on his forehead from an elbow by Erceg. He's bleeding all over the place.
Erceg landed some big shots on Pantoja in the second round, enough to tie it up entering the third. He's looking pretty legit.
10-9 Pantoja, who looks a level above Erceg so far, however he is typically a fast starter with a tendency to slow down.
Great start for him thus far.— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 5, 2024
Alexandre Pantoja time. The UFC flyweight champion (-185) is taking on the 10th-ranked Steve Erceg (+150), an Australian who signed with the UFC less than a year ago. The little-known challenger is 3-0 with the promotion so far.
Aldo, whose UFC contract is up, says he doesn't want this to be his last fight, but needs to sit down with Dana White and figure out where to go from here.
RESULT: Jose Aldo def. Jonathan Martinez by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Respect 👏#UFC301 pic.twitter.com/RTqaMFJTfI
— UFC (@ufc) May 5, 2024
Man…how good is @josealdojunior beautiful to see. Congrats champ #UFC301
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) May 5, 2024
Congratulations to the legend Jose Aldo junior!!! True legend of the sport!!! #ufc301
— Renato Moicano UFC (@moicanoufc) May 5, 2024
No words for how impressive that was by Aldo...none 🤯 #UFC301
— “Wonderboy” Thompson (@WonderboyMMA) May 5, 2024
Round 3 ends with both Aldo and Martinez on the mat and wailing away at each other. They embrace after the bell.
Aldo lookin like he never left
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) May 5, 2024
Y'all must've forgot: Jose Aldo edition #UFC301
— Nolan King (@mma_kings) May 5, 2024
20-18 Aldo, but a much tougher round to score than the first as Martinez did good work
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 5, 2024
That was a pretty even first round, not a ton of action but Aldo looks pretty fast for a retiree
THE KING OF RIO RETURNS 👑 #UFC301 pic.twitter.com/amY3arhrG9
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) May 5, 2024
Aldo, the King of Rio, is coming out wearing a crown.
And now comes the man many people in this Rio crowd paid to see, Jose Aldo (+135). He's coming out of retirement to face Jonathan Martinez (-165), who's on a six-fight win streak.
Let’s Go Anthony smith ! Congratulations !
— Chris Weidman (@chrisweidman) May 5, 2024
Anthony will take those all day! Huge mistake from Petrino though not only giving up the neck, but lifting him into the guard. #UFC301
— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) May 5, 2024
GOT IT DONE IN 2 MINUTES 🤯
Anthony Smith gets the 1st round sub at #UFC301 pic.twitter.com/3TJNem5oRt— UFC (@ufc) May 5, 2024
RESULT: Anthony Smith def. Vitor Petrino (R1, 2:00)
Petrino was aggressive, got in trouble when Smith got his neck while standing, then made it so much worse by taking him to the ground. Bruce Buffer was so surprised that he announced the decision with "And still undefeated, Vitor —"
Anthony Smith said he was going to put the idea of him being a gatekeeper for these young prospects to rest and he snatches up a guillotine in the first round to finish Petrino.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 5, 2024
Anthony Smith stuns the arena with a guillotine to sub Petrino in the first round, wow.
Now comes Vitor Petrino (-550) against Anthony Smith (+400) in a classic "rising star trying to use a veteran as a stepping stone" fight.
Here's what Paul Felder had to say about Pereira's potentially illegal knee: "I still think he's got to learn his lesson from doing backflips and trying to land illegal knees, but looking at the one angle, a lot of it did land on the chest — thank god for him — and I think that's what stopped him from potentially getting DQed right here."
That was so bad ass
— Sean O'Malley (@SugaSeanMMA) May 5, 2024
RESULT: Michel Pereira def. Ihor Potieria by submission (R1, 54 seconds)
Pereira gets away with the knee for one of the most entertaining wins of his career.
ALL HE NEEDED WAS 54 SECONDS 😱@UFCPereira gets the submission in the first round! #UFC301 pic.twitter.com/lCcN5z8Js1
— UFC (@ufc) May 5, 2024
There's some discussion between Bruce Buffer and officials, that illegal knee might bite Pereira.
WHOA WHOA WHOA. Michel Pereira gets a submission in less than a minute, but Potieria still goes lights out after Pereira lets him go. Seconds before that, Pereira knocked him over, did a backflip and got him with a knee, which might have been of questionable legality.
Michel Pereira didn’t walkout with a full dance routine . This ain’t like him , something up 😂😂😂
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) May 5, 2024
Next up is Michel Pereira (-600) against Ihor Potieria (+425). Pereira's won seven straight and has been pushing for a bout with a contender recently.
The broadcast announces that Mauricio Shogun Rua will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 5, 2024
Borralho says he wants the $50K bonus, then calls for a top-10 or a top-5 middleweight. His suggestion: Jared Cannonier.
That was a really nasty combo by Borralho, who stunned Craig earlier in the round with a knee, then got him off-balance and leveled him with a left against the cage.
Beautiful combo from Caio #ufc301
— Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155) May 5, 2024
RESULT: Caio Borralho def. Paul Craig by KO (R2, 2:10)
Borralho notches his 15th straight win and moves to 6-0 with the UFC. You have to imagine he'll be getting a real chance to show he's a middleweight contender very soon.
THIRTEEN IN A ROW 😱@BorralhoCaio gets the 2nd round KO! #UFC301 pic.twitter.com/YQBy86Ywrg
— UFC (@ufc) May 5, 2024
Borralho knocks Craig out cold in the second round and that'll do it.
10-9 Borralho
He is so good at maximizing his winning conditions. Very high fight IQ.— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 5, 2024
Vibes are IMMACULATE ✨@BorralhoCaio | #UFC301 pic.twitter.com/kfy6yLW18M
— UFC (@ufc) May 5, 2024
Update on the broadcast: Jon Anik relays that the doctor suspected Jack Shore had a broken leg, which was why the fight was stopped.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 5, 2024
It's time for the main card, where Caio Borralho (-600) kick things off against Paul Craig (+425). Borralho (No. 14 in the middleweight rankings) is 5-0 since joining the UFC and is facing a veteran in Craig (No. 13) who has lost three of his last four.
This fight has ended due to a doctor's stoppage.#UFC301 pic.twitter.com/eVZ7YJESQc
— UFC (@ufc) May 5, 2024
Come on it’s just a shin
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) May 5, 2024
RESULT: Joanderson Brito def. Jack Shore by TKO in the second round
Doctor calls the fight and Brito get his fifth straight win, in gruesome fashion.
UFC 301 main card results, highlights
• Flyweight championship: Alexandre Pantoja def. Steve Erceg by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
• Bantamweight: Jose Aldo def. Jonathan Martinez by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Light heavyweight: Anthony Smith def. Vitor Petrino by submission at 2:00 of R1:
GOT IT DONE IN 2 MINUTES 🤯
Anthony Smith gets the 1st round sub at #UFC301 pic.twitter.com/3TJNem5oRt— UFC (@ufc) May 5, 2024
• Middleweight: Michel Pereira def. Ihor Potieria by submission at 0:54 of R1
ALL HE NEEDED WAS 54 SECONDS 😱@UFCPereira gets the submission in the first round! #UFC301 pic.twitter.com/lCcN5z8Js1
— UFC (@ufc) May 5, 2024
• Middleweight: Caio Borralho def. Paul Craig by KO at 2:10 of R2
UFC 301 prelims results, highlights
• Featherweight: Joanderson Brito def. Jack Shore by TKO at 3:35 of R2:
This fight has ended due to a doctor's stoppage.#UFC301 pic.twitter.com/eVZ7YJESQc
— UFC (@ufc) May 5, 2024
• Women's strawweight: Iasmin Lucindo def. Karolina Kowalkiewicz by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Lightweight: Myktybek Orolbai def. Elves Brener by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
• Lightweight: Drakkar Klose def. Joaquim Silva by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
UFC 301 early prelims results, highlights
• Lightweight: Mauricio Ruffy def. Jamie Mullarkey by TKO (punches) at 4:42 of R1:
MAURICIO RUFFY’S POWER 💥 #UFC301
Stream #UFC301 tonight on @ESPN+ PPV ➡️ https://t.co/5fTe46h31v pic.twitter.com/lJUn9wM54T— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) May 4, 2024
• Women's flyweight: Dione Barbosa def. Ernesta Kareckaite by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Lightweight: Ismael Bonfim def. Vinc Pachel by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Flyweight: Alessandro Costa def. Kevin Borjas by TKO (strikes) at 1:35 of R2:
Alessandro Costa starts #UFC301 off with a win for Brazil 🇧🇷 💪 pic.twitter.com/EJ3fjYOvNf
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) May 4, 2024