UFC 301 was another vibrant event in Rio we take a look at the top performers on the night and what is on the horizon for them. With Brazilians featured in every bout the hometown crowd was in house from the very first bout.
Elite Flyweights in the Main Event
Alexandre Pantoja second defence of his flyweight title came against Steve Erceg, a man only three fights into his UFC tenure. Consistently flyweight title bouts produce excellent fights and this was no anomaly. A violent back and forth fight throughout with scorecards varying across the MMA scene. At the end of the fifth many had Erceg ahead due to the visible damage caused by some brilliant striking however it was the dominance and control time from Pantoja that earned him the win. It was a unanimous decision and the scorecards read 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46. Although visibly disappointed after the decision the Australian proved the he can compete with the elite contenders at 125lbs.
For Erceg the return date will presumably be UFC 305 in Perth, the opponent could well be a resurgent Alex Perez as the rest of the division has rumoured match ups. Pantoja’s next defence will be the victor from the rumoured bout between Muhammed Mokaev vs Brandon Royval slated for UFC 304 in Manchester.
The King is Back
At UFC 301 Jose Aldo produced the performance fans desired, a true masterclass in MMA from the icon. After migrating away from the octagon it was a successful return home for Aldo, defeating the streaking bantamweight Jonathan Martinez. At number 13 in the bantamweight rankings this was the opportunity for Martinez to add a legendary name to his resume however it was Aldo’s night in front of his hometown fans. Excellent work on the feet earned a Unanimous decision victory for the King of Rio and he ensured fans this was not his last fight. Many had speculated his retirement no matter the result.
Now with confirmation from the man himself we can match him up for a potential push to a bantamweight tile shot. There is no better way to earn a shot at gold than by beating the man who just competed for it. Marlon Vera suffered defeat back at UFC 299 and a fight between himself and Aldo is fan friendly violence.
Middleweight Mayhem
Kicking off the main card were a pair of middleweight fights containing explosive Brazilian prospects. Michel Pereira dispatched Ihor Potieria within a minute in vicious fashion, knocking him down with a right hand, backflipping over his guard and then finishing it with a standing guillotine. Now 9-2 in the UFC a ranking is surely on the horizon, Chris Curtis sits at #15 in the middleweight ranking and lost last time out against contender Brendan Allen. In a ranked bout Caio Borralho starched Paul Craig in the second round maintaining his perfect UFC record. The star of the Fighting Nerds gym called out Jared Cannonier who is scheduled to fight in June against Nassourdine Imavov, therefore Roman Dolidze is a more realistic option.
Diamond in the Ruffy
The UFC 301 prelims had some excellent performers and some odd officiating, however without doubt it was Mauricio Ruffy who stole the show in his UFC debut. Announcing himself in the lightweight division with scintillating striking, unorthodox techniques and a scissor sweep. It was a flying knee that started the downfall of Jamie Mullarkey who yet again proved his toughness but could not make it to the end of round one. Keeping his 100% finish rate and earning himself a 50k bonus from the boss Dana White was a great start to his UFC career and the comparisons to the great Conor McGregor will only benefit. With it being too soon for a ranked opponent the UFC would be wise to get Ruffy back out as quickly as possible, venturing into enemy at UFC 304 against tough veteran Marc Diakiese is the pick for UK fight fans.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
