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Alexandre Pantoja is coming home.

When Pantoja steps into the octagon for Saturday’s UFC 301 main event in Rio de Janeiro, he’ll be the first Brazilian champion to defend their title in their home country since Amanda Nunes fought Raquel Pennington in May 2018. That was a triumphant night for Nunes, and Pantoja’s team surely expects the same, but is surprise challenger Steve Erceg set to play the ultimate spoiler?

MMA Fighting’s Alexander K. Lee, Jed Meshew, and Mike Heck gather at the roundtable to discuss the ripples an Erceg win could create in the UFC timeline, plus what else to look for on a low-key pay-per-view offering.

1. Where would a Steve Erceg title win rank among the most unlikely runs to a belt?

Meshew: First off, who the (Mike) Heck is Steve Erceg? I know a Vincenzo Erceg, UFC flyweight contender and the pride of Western Australia, but I’ve never heard of this Steve fellow. And let’s be honest, a “Steve” Erceg could never win a title. Vincenzo Erceg — or “Vinnie Cigs” as the kids know him — now that man is a very probable champion due to the laws of nominative determinism.

Second, because I’m a capital-J Journalist, I crunched the numbers to give you an exact answer. In the modern UFC, four fighters have managed to win a title in their first four fights in the promotion, not including fighters who won inaugural titles (think Carla Esparza off The Ultimate Fighter or Ronda Rousey being declared UFC champion from Strikeforce): Zhang Weili, Brock Lesnar, Jiri Prochazka, and Alex Pereira. And it’s pretty safe to say looking at that list, Vinnie is the most unlikely possible champion.

Brock had almost no MMA experience but he was the biggest star in the promotion, so his path to the title was extremely likely. Similar for Pereira who had such a built-in story with then-champion Israel Adesanya that everyone knew it would happen. Prochazka and Zhang are different stories in that they didn’t enter with a built-in ticket to a title shot, but both were already among the best in the world in their weight classes and had substantial support behind them. None of this is true for Erceg.

Until Erceg made his UFC debut 10 months ago, a vast majority of the MMA world didn’t know who he was. Even after he beat David Dvorak to earn a top 15 ranking, most people still didn’t. Honestly, I’m not sure people know who he is now. But if he pulls this off on Saturday, the man will be an overnight sensation 10 months in the making.

Lee: It would be a stunner. But five years down the road, it might not be with the benefit of hindsight.

Erceg debuted in the UFC with little fanfare at UFC 289 in June 2023, stepping in on short notice for Matt Schnell at UFC 289 before KO’ing Schnell nine months later (in between was a decision win over Alessandro Costa I’m betting few remember). “Astro Boy” is as unassuming a fighter as you’ll find, and even as he’s continued to build a 12-fight win streak, our eyes can’t quite believe what we’re seeing.

Great addition to the flyweight roster? Sure. UFC title contender? Where did that come from?

But the UFC needed a Brazilian champion to headline its return to Rio and Alexandre Pantoja needed a challenger who he hadn’t already beaten multiple times, so in steps Vinnie Cigs. Pantoja is understandably a comfortable favorite heading into his second title defense, holding wins over pretty much every notable flyweight in the top 10. So if Erceg is being sent out as a sacrificial lamb for the sake of a home crowd pop, then so be it.

I just think there’s a good chance Erceg is the real deal. By that I mean, not only could Erceg pull off the upset, he might rattle off a few title defenses of his own. So I’m cheating and leaving this answer open for now, because we might end up looking back at this incredible capper to Erceg’s first four UFC fights and realizing it was only the beginning.

Heck: It would have to be pretty high up there, right? Matt Serra getting there off of a reality show and then beating Georges St-Pierre in the biggest upset of all-time has to take the No. 1 spot, but good ol’ Vinnie Cigs could certainly find his face on the Mt. Rushmore of unlikely UFC title runs.

As I’ve said a million times on various shows, meritocracy doesn’t matter in the UFC — at least, for the most part — but availability can oftentimes be your best friend. Steve Erceg has done everything he’s needed to do. He’s beaten ranked opponents and has finished fights in impressive fashion, plus he did so with impeccable timing due to the fact that Pantoja needed a dance partner.

While this may be high up on the unlikely runs list now, something tells me a future roundtable — maybe even later this year — will have a similar question. Why? Because availability is your best friend.

2. Which Brazilian fighter will have the biggest moment?

Heck: This is a tough question with so many on the card, and while the easy answer is Pantoja, the vibes continue to tell me we could be in for a shocking conclusion at UFC 301. So, I’ll take the next chalky answer and go with “The King of Rio.”

When Run This Town hits the speakers, the arena will come unglued. And while Jonathan “The Silence Behind the Violence” Martinez is a solid talent, Jose Aldo has made his hay in defeating fighters who have an incredible leg kicking game. Not only is he known as The King of Rio, he’s the King of the Legkickers as well. I believe he gets his hand raised in, what will likely be, his final UFC fight.

Meshew: The only possible answer for this is Jose Aldo.

Pantoja may be headlining the card, but this whole ships sinks without Aldo there to juice the crowd up. To say Aldo is beloved in Rio is like saying Conor McGregor is “kind of popular” or Jon Jones is “a little scared” of Tom Aspinall — it understates the point to absurdity.

To steal a phrase from Paddy Pimblett, win or lose, Aldo is “going to blow the roof off the gaffe!” And good god willing, if he actually wins — perhaps in highlight-reel fashion — then he can jump the fence and be paraded around Farmasi Arena on the shoulders of his countrymen. Finally, the storybook ending one of the true all-time greats deserves.

Lee: Aldo has the chance to do something special, but there’s a part of me that is always going to be hesitant to get too excited about a fighter returning from a supposed retirement strictly for business reasons. (Aldo is completing the last fight of his UFC deal so he’s free to potentially go back to boxing.) So I’ll go in a different direction here.

If Aldo is the hero most fans in the building will be cheering for, the majority of jeers will be aimed at Ihor Potieria, a.k.a. “The Shogun Slayer.” Let’s not forget the UFC’s most recent visit to Rio didn’t just end on the down note of Jamahal Hill beating Glover Teixeira. Before that, the illustrious career of Mauricio Rua came to a harsh end when Potieria finished him with strikes in a preliminary bout and then proceeded to celebrate in a manner that didn’t endear him to the local crowd.

You can bet the chants of uh vai morrer will be loud and clear when Potieria makes the walkout for his fight with Michel Pereira, to the point that they may want to beef up security. Because make no mistake about it, Pereira is out to avenge Shogun, and if he doesn’t get it done in the cage, it could get ugly in these streets.

Pereira is the consummate showman and if he can style his way to a knockout of Potieria, he’ll be the most celebrated Brazilian on the card, even if Pantoja and Aldo are triumphant.

3. What is your sleeper storyline for UFC 301?

Lee: Now that I’ve hinted at a best-case scenario where the top Brazilian names on the card all author memorable moments, let’s look at the flip side: What if this is UFC 283 all over again?

I’ve already mentioned the Shogun letdown from the January 2023 event (and hopefully will never mention it again after this week), but don’t forget that night also ended with beloved champions Glover Teixeira and Deiveson Figueiredo losing their championships in humbling fashion. To say those disappointments cast a pall over that show would be an understatement.

Can Rio take another hit like that? The city will always welcome the UFC with open arms, but it will be a harder sell in the future if Pantoja’s overlooked title fight ends in a loss and if Martinez spoils Aldo’s return. Anthony Smith stifling Vitor Petrino? Potieria rubbing another win in the fans’ faces? Paul Craig handing Caio Borralho his first UFC loss? It’s all in play.

A number of Brazilian stars were already unable to compete on this card thanks to Dana White and co. stacking UFC 299 and UFC 300, so fans in this MMA hotbed are likely already feeling a little cold. If they don’t see a few favorites get their hand raised, White may want to wait a couple of years before coming back.

Heck: I’m sure people know where I’m going here, and you would be right. As usual, these questions usually come down to, “Where is the who-is-more-for-real fight on the card?” And for me, it’s the lightweight bout between 26-year-old up-and-comers Elves Brener and Myktybek Orolbai.

Lightweights, am I right?

This fight absolutely rules. Both of these guys have tremendous upside, and they are finishing machines. Brener had a strong case for MMA Fighting’s 2023 Rookie of the Year award after going 3-0 in 2023. He started with a big upset of Zubaira Tukhugov at UFC 284 in his octagon debut, then added two big knockouts against Kaynan Kruschewsky and — in a super impressive win — Guram Kutateladze. This guy is really good, but he’s about to get a big-time test against a guy the hardcore MMA fans have been waiting for to get his shot.

Orolbai returns to his preferred weight class, but he has the potential do damage at welterweight, as shown by his short-notice UFC debut neck crank submission of Uros Medic. Orolbai has tremendous grappling chops, but he also hits like an absolute truck, and there’s a mystique and aura about him that says, “He just might be that guy.” We’ll certainly find out on Saturday in this fantastically matched preliminary bout.

Meshew: You want a sleeper storyline? I’ll give you a sleeper storyline. I’ll go so deep of a sleeper we’re talking Rip Van Winkle comatose here: Is Karolina Kowalkiewicz fighting for a title shot?

“What?!” you say. “That’s ridiculous!” Is it? Do you know who currently has the longest winning streak in the UFC strawweight division (other than Tatiana Suarez, whose streak has a four-year gap in it)? That’s right, Kowalkiewicz! She’s tied with champion Zhang Weili at four. And while nobody is clamoring for her to a get a title shot, the fact of the matter is that Kowalkiewicz is a former title challenger, a decent name in the division, and somebody has to fight Zhang next.

Suarez is the obvious next contender at 115 pounds, but she is coming off another injury and banking on her to make it to any fight is a fool’s errand. So who else is in the conversation? Joanna Jedrzejczyk retired, Rose Namajunas jumped up in weight, and Zhang has already beaten most of the other top contenders. Mackenzie Dern could make sense but she can’t seem to win fights when it counts, and the next great hope, Loopy Godinez, just lost.

That leaves Virna Jandiroba as the only other real option, and if something happens to her — it’s insane but true — Kowalkiewicz on five wins is suddenly a very viable option.

MMA Fighting – All Posts

Newly-minted undisputed featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria has been linked heavily in recent weeks with title defenses against both former titleholders, Alexander Volkanovski, and Max Holloway, however, has identified Brian Ortega as the ideal opponent to face him next.

Topuria, the current undisputed featherweight champion, most recently headlined UFC 298 back in February in Anaheim, turning in a spectacular second round knockout win over the previously mentioned, Volkanovski in the pair’s heated championship fight.

As for Ortega, the two-time title chaser has been sidelined since co-headlining UFC Fight Night Mexico City back in February, rallying with a third round arm-triangle choke to beat former interim champion, Yair Rodríguez in the pair’s rematch.

Boasting a Performance of the Night bonus as well as the number three rank in the division with his victory over Chihuahua native, Rodríguez at Mexico City – Ortega had been backed the most likeliest opponent to stand opposite Topuria by the bookies in the Spaniard’s first title defense. 

Ilia Topuria eyes title fight defense with Brian Ortega

And urged to get on with things amid his championship tour following his UFC 298 title coronation, Topuria has dismissed a grudge bout with newly-minted BMF gold holder, Holloway, in favor of a clash with the recent winner, Ortega instead.

“Brian Ortega makes most sense,” Ilia Topuria told during a recent interview with WebPositer. “He’s always ready to fight plus he just beat Yair (Rodríguez). Max (Holloway) can wait.” 

Furthermore, long-time color-commentator, Joe Rogan claimed recently that Topuria had been approached regarding a potential rematch with the above-mentioned, Volkanovski at UFC 305 in August in a trip Downunder, however, rejected the immediate re-run. 

With his knockout win over the New South Wales native back in February, Topuria improved to 15-0 as a professional, recording his thirteenth stoppage success to boot.

Who wins in a potential title showdown: Ilia Topuria or Brian Ortega?

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

With UFC 301 landing in Brazil on Saturday night, the broadcast team looks a little different than usual with Joe Rogan taking the night off.

Rogan doesn’t travel to international events, which opens the door for Paul Felder to take his place on color commentary for the event from Rio de Janeiro.

Felder joins play-by-play man Jon Anik calling the fights alongside UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier, who is a fixture during pay-per-view broadcasts.

Kayrn Bryant serves as the in-house reporter handling backstage interviews from Brazil.

UFC officials confirmed the broadcast team assignments to MMA Fighting on Tuesday.

UFC 301 takes place on Saturday with flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja defending his title in the main event against Steve Erceg. Since arriving in the UFC, Erceg has stayed undefeated with three straight wins but he’ll take a decided step up in competition against Pantoja in his first opportunity to claim gold in the UFC.

In the co-main event, UFC legend Jose Aldo returns from retirement to face Jonathan Martinez in a bantamweight bout. Aldo last fought in the UFC in August 2022 when he fell to Merab Dvalishvili by decision before announcing his retirement.

Aldo moved onto boxing for a pair of fights in 2023 but now he returns to his old stomping grounds presumably for one more appearance with UFC 301 serving as the final bout on his current contract with the promotion.

The main card for UFC 301 kicks off at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view with the prelims starting at 6 p.m. ET.

MMA Fighting – All Posts

Easiest fight
| BJPenn.com

Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

It’s been just over two months since Ilia Topuria flattened Alexander Volkanovski (watch here) with a massive right hand to claim the Featherweight crown. As a result of that victory, the Spanish fighter has options. The frontrunner for the next title shot is Max Holloway, who delivered his own tremendous knockout just a couple weeks ago at UFC 300 to seemingly solidify his position as the top contender in whatever division he wants!

Topuria, however, is a bit less enthused. He’s also talked about rematching Volkanovski next, though the Australian’s return to competition timeline is uncertain. He’s also mentioned Brian Ortega as an option, and he dares Bantamweight king Sean O’Malley to step up to his weight class.

Safe to say, Topuria has options.

He might want to fight all of them in short fashion if he’s to make his 2025 goal a reality, however. In a recent interview, Topuria revealed his goal and belief that by the end of 2025, he would be the best paid athlete in the world.

“Look, I can tell you that I have no doubt that in 2025, I will be the highest paid athlete in the world,” Topuria told Webpositer. When told Cristiano Ronaldo is set to make $ 130 million this year, Topuria promised, “I’ll be there. I’d be surprised if I didn’t do it” and “I have no doubt, really.”

Perhaps that’s why Topuria is insistent that Holloway put his BMF belt on the line as well? If Topuria is targeting absolutely massive paychecks, he’ll need every bit of fame and prestige possible. The problem is that standard UFC championship purses will not get him that many zeroes, so he’ll also need his own Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather moment to really explode onto the Forbes list. It doesn’t sound likely or even all that possible, but Topuria has walked the talk thus far.

He might want to hurry up and book a title defense though.

Insomnia

What new information is likely to come to light that NSAC couldn’t just settle on a length of suspension now?

Muhammad Mokaev reacts to getting leapfrogged in the rankings by the man he just beat:

Speaking of Alex Perez, he’s taking a quick turnaround against tough competition. Hopefully, he’s able to stay active now, because his fights are usually fun.

Looks like Petr Yan vs. Marlon Vera isn’t happening as soon as hoped … or maybe at all.

Is this the 2.0 version of foot stomps? MMA innovation!

I never learned this finish to the head inside single leg.

The spin move seals it.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Usually, it’s hard to kick the liver when two Southpaws face off, but kicking as the other man punches is one workaround.

Fire a head kick to convince them to swing, then stand ground with a counter punch:

Double jab and a whipping overhand! That punch reminds me of Chuck Liddell’s demonstration of how to throw an overhand: loose arm with a rock at the end.

Random Land

Gecko lunch.

Midnight Music: Soul, 1970

Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.

MMAmania.com – All Posts

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

The referee and judges overseeing the fight between Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia have been assigned ahead of their showdown in Las Vegas on Saturday.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission approved the officials during a monthly meeting on Tuesday.

Tom Taylor serves as the referee and third man in the ring as Alvarez seeks to defend his undisputed super middleweight titles and build on a current three-fight win streak.

The judges responsible for scoring the fight include Tim Cheatham, David Sutherland, and Steve Weisfeld.

While many were clamoring for Alvarez to face highly touted and undefeated American David Benavidez, it’s Munguia who gets the assignment on Saturday.

The power-punching Munguia steps into the bout with a perfect 43-0 record, including 34 wins by knockout, but his level of competition has been questionable at times.

He did score a knockout win over John Ryder in his most recent outing in January. Ryder previously went to a decision with Alvarez back in 2023.

The current odds for the fight have Munguia as a decided +425 underdog, according to DraftKings, with Alvarez listed as the favorite at -600 to retain his titles.

The fight goes down Saturday night from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with the card airing live on DAZN and PPV.com pay-per-view.

MMA Fighting – All Posts

Ronda Rousey might not be a unanimous fan favorite. Some take issue with comments she has made in the past, like calling herself the greatest fighter ever, and others are definitely critics of her 14-fight MMA career, where back-to-back losses against Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes took her out of the sport for good.

But there’s no doubt that when discussing fighters who shaped the modern years in MMA, you can’t go far into that conversation without mentioning “Rowdy.” Because of this, Rousey’s story is perfect for a memoir.

‘Our Fight’ Provides Honest Perspective Of Rousey’s Champion Years

Rousey’s latest book, “Our Fight: A Memoir,” is different from her prior published title due to its timing. Unlike her prior release, Rousey is now past her years as a fighter and wrestler, giving her stories a start and ultimate end. But a good story isn’t always told right. This begs the question: Does Rousey provide a good recounting of details in her April release?

Memoirs can bend the truth. They can allow figures to provide a retelling of the past through rose-colored glasses. It can give a public figure the chance to tell you that things didn’t actually go as poorly as you might have thought they did, or that unfortunate events that hit them were actually someone else’s fault. Ronda Rousey’s book doesn’t attempt to do any of this.

In “Our Fight,” readers are brought into the unfiltered mindset of one of MMA’s most influential names. Rousey isn’t afraid to discuss failure or low points in her career. In fact, it felt like Rousey sped past the glory of her MMA popularity and instead allowed more time to explain struggles in her career. And Ronda Rousey certainly doesn’t sugar-coat her feelings about anyone or anything she has experienced. 

Is it because the former bantamweight champ is simply a tell-it-like-it-is figure? Or because she seems at peace with leaving MMA and professional wrestling behind her, leaving no incentive to avoid publicly burning bridges? Either way, there’s a sincerity to hearing her perspective that makes it seem like she is neither trying to protect her image nor exaggerate life experiences.

Rousey comes off as an intense character, one that isn’t uncommon to find in athletes. When she feels a way about someone, it’s a strong feeling. Once you’re done reading this book you will know who she hates (Vince McMahon, WWE producer Bruce Pritchard, and former rival Miesha Tate to name a few) and you will be fully aware of the close circle that she trusts (The Four Horsewomen, husband and former UFC fighter Travis Browne).

It’s that same intensity that comes back to bite her at times. When she lost her bantamweight title to Holly Holm, she remembers it completely derailing her life. Everything revolved around being the best, and when she suddenly wasn’t, she was lost. She also reflects on how the sacrifices she made throughout her combat career meant that she was not having experiences in life as much as she hoped. 

Both of those anecdotes—telling the stories of sacrifice and loss—are something that you can hear about from likely any fighter. But hearing it from Ronda Rousey, where there was heightened attention in the mainstream, is incredibly intriguing. Her work ethic set herself apart from others and made her a trailblazer in an industry, but it came at a cost.

The Cost Of Being A Fighter

Looking at her career in retrospect, Ronda Rousey was able to provide stellar insight into the life of a fighter and the negative impacts it had on her. Arguably one of the strongest chapters in the story sees Ronda Rousey revisit times in the past when judo and MMA trainers pushed her hard possibly too hard. She recounted these training sessions but looked at it through a different lens: When does tough, hard training cross the line into abuse?

She’s also open about how head trauma severely affected her career and could come back to haunt her. It’s often referenced in the book how prior concussions and damage to the head meant that, by the start of her MMA career, she could hardly even take a punch. Training sessions would end with her seeing “camera flashes” when she closed her eyes, a common symptom of head trauma. 

Years after the wear and tear that she took from her combat sports career, she started to worry about long-term symptoms that might haunt her in the years to come. Did she not remember much of her time travelling the world for work because she was focused on the task at hand, or because her memory was already fading significantly? She’s not entirely confident about what the answer is.

There’s also a respectable bluntness when discussing the self-inflicted pains that Ronda Rousey went through in her career. While she lived in a pressure-cooker setting that certainly didn’t have safeguards in place from pushing herself beyond her limits—something which arguably deserves some blame as well—both her MMA and wrestling careers ended because she had burnt herself out mentally and physically. 

The competitive edge that was constantly pushing her was at times working at a much more aggressive pace than what she was able to realistically endure. A recurring example of this was Ronda Rousey’s vow to UFC promoter Dana White that she would be available anytime, anyplace for them. Upholding this promise even when she became one of the promotion’s top stars meant that she ended up competing in eight title fights over the course of four years. This level of activity, which is nearly unmatched, eventually pushed her out of the sport.

The Verdict: Is Ronda Rousey’s Book Worth Reading?

While Ronda Rousey’s stories are captivating and interesting—likely elevated by her sister Maria Burns-Ortiz, a journalist who helped co-author the book—it’s important to remember that you’re simply hearing one perspective. There are parts of the book that you might disagree with, like certain grudges or feelings. Among the more questionable moments is Rousey seemingly still harbouring hard feelings for rival Miesha Tate, whom she last fought more than a decade ago. But the honest feelings that Rousey holds toward everyone mentioned in the book make the stories feel like a genuine reflection of her thoughts.

This book might not appeal to you if you only want to hear about one facet of Ronda Rousey’s life. If you’re only interested in Rousey’s MMA career, the first half of the book will provide juicy details that will keep you hooked. But, if along with that MMA fandom comes a disinterest in professional wrestling, the lengthy inside baseball talk about her time in WWE might lose you. Rousey goes in-depth with each topic, meaning a passion or interest in the entertainment genres will enhance your experience when reading about the stories. If Ronda Rousey’s life is a story you want to hear, from Judo to Wrestlemania, this couldn’t be a better book for you.

Whether you like or dislike Ronda Rousey, her impact on MMA cannot be denied. Because of that, experiencing all of her big moments in the UFC cage from her seemingly genuine perspective makes this a worthwhile book. Clocking in at just under 300 pages, this book won’t consume too much time if you’re an avid reader. When considering all of these factors, it’s hard to not recommend the book to someone who wants to hear beyond-the-mat info about MMA and inside the ropes details from her WWE career.

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