Alexandre Pantoja delivers COLD message after joining Demetrious Johnson’s elite club

The striking battle was close, with several rounds up for debate. Steve Erceg (12-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) went equally blow-for-blow with a multitude of significant strikes. While Pantoja started strong, Erceg gained momentum from R2 onwards when he opened up his boxing stance and worked from behind a jab. Not letting the champ ferociously close distance, he dominated for rounds 2, 3, and even 4 for a while.

But close the distance he did. A costly takedown reversal in Round 4 cost Erceg to give the rival back his chance to gain momentum. UFC 301 “Embedded” Vlog Series saw Pantoja aspire to write his own tale, and not be finished off easy. He lived up to that despite a violent and bloody fallout. Now he brazenly says the only way to finish him off, is to enter the octagon armed to teeth.

Alexandre Pantoja was all praises for ‘tough guy’ — Steve Erceg at UFC 301

UFC 301 (Pay-per-view, ESPN+) took shape at Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro. In the main event, flyweight champ, Alexandre Pantoja crept first-time Aussie challenger Steve Erceg to a decision win. ‘The Cannibal’ outpointed him via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46) despite some oddities and blowback.

Pantoja lives up to his moniker and has a non-rhythmic cannibalistic style of fighting. Give him a dot, and he’d make a yard out of it, by hook or crook. The Arraial do Cabo native is one of the best grapplers, as well as a striker of the 125-pound weight class.

Second frame onwards, the underdog Erceg understood that well and checked his distance working behind jabs and ranged blows. Delivering two right elbows, he cut the champ twice over. Hence, Pantoja lauded the challenge he faced as a fighter.

I’ve always said this division is entirely tough, you can take the 10th-ranked guy and have him fight against the champion and you guys saw exactly that tonight. Alexandre Pantoja via a translator to MMA Junkie at the UFC 301 post-fight presser

In his post-fight octagon interview with play-by-play Daniel Cormier, Pantoja praised Erceg as one of the best. Meaning to face the “best” as the undisputed flyweight champ, he found it in Erceg. He also took pride in the division boasting such a diverse pool of talents, full of tough competition.

Even recently, he went on a brief tirade against Sean Strickland . The unhinged fighter had crassly called for the removal of certain divisions like the flyweight, along with WMMA classes. As such, he maintains a sense of pride in what he stands for.