The UFC’s flyweight division takes center stage when Alexandre Pantoja defends the UFC 125-pound title against Steve Erceg at UFC 301 on May 4.
The fight will take place in Pantoja’s backyard in Brazil and airs on ESPN+ in the U.S.
Pantoja (27-5) made a name for himself when he competed on The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions card in 2016. The top-ranked flyweight that year, Pantoja did not win but did secure a UFC contract. “The Cannibal” is 11-3 in the octagon post-TUF and is on a five-fight win streak. He competes in his first fight in Brazil since 2013.
Erceg (12-1) is ranked 10th in the UFC flyweight rankings. He last fought in March, beating Matt Schnell, so he is in fighting shape and ready for the opportunity. The Aussie is a massive underdog but looks to take Pantoja down and potentially submit him for the upset.
WATCH: UFC 301: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg, exclusively on ESPN+
Outside of the main event, a legend returns to action while former contenders look to stay relevant in their respective divisions.
Here’s a breakdown of the action on the UFC 301 main card.
The co-main event will see Jonathan Martinez face the returning Jose Aldo.
Martinez (19-4) is 10-3 in the octagon since joining the UFC in 2018. The former XFL bantamweight and flyweight champion is on a six-fight win streak, with his last fight being a TKO win over Adrian Yanez in October.
Aldo (31-8) is back after retiring from MMA in 2022. The UFC Hall of Famer is a former featherweight champion and holds the record for the division’s most successful title defenses (seven). The Brazilian has competed in boxing since his retirement, and the Martinez fight appears to be the final contest under his initial deal with the UFC, per MMA Junkie.
Anthony Smith faces Vitor Petrino.
Smith (37-19) turned pro in 2008. Competing in the UFC in 2013, he officially joined the octagon in 2016, leaving his job as a concrete finisher. “Lionheart” is 12-9 in the UFC, a highlight of his career being a loss against Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight title. The 35-year-old is 1-3 in his last four fights.
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Petrino (11-0) is 5-0 in the octagon following a successful appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022. He looks to go 2-0 in 2024 after beating Tyson Pedro in March.
Also on the card is Michel Pereira vs. Ihor Potieria.
Pereira (30-11, 2 NC) turned pro in 2011. The Brazilian is known for doing backflips mid-fight, among other spectacular moves. He is on a seven-fight win streak and looks to enter the UFC’s middleweight rankings with a win.
Potieria (20-5) is 2-2 in his last four fights. The Dana White’s Contender Series standout replaces Makhmud Muradov, who backed out due to suffering an infection.
Opening the main card will be Paul Craig vs. Caio Borralho.
Craig (17-7-1) is 9-7-1 in the octagon and 1-3 in his last four fights. The former Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion from Scotland is ranked 13th in the UFC’s middleweight rankings.
Ranked 14th in the rankings, Borralho (15-1, 1 NC) hasn’t lost a fight since 2015. The Brazilian is a Dana White’s Contender Series standout who is 7-0 in the octagon.
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The early prelims start at 6 p.m. ET, with the prelims at 8 p.m. ET. The main card is at 10 p.m. ET. Pantoja and Erceg should make their way to the octagon around 12:15 a.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
In the U.S., the UFC 301 main card is available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, which also requires a subscription. The PPV price for UFC 301 is $79.99 for current subscribers. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $134.98 for the UFC 301 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of more than 30 percent.
In the UK, the main card is on TNT Sports Box Office and will cost £19.99.
WATCH: UFC 301: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg, exclusively on ESPN+
Click here to learn about the different pricing and bundling options with the ESPN+ platform.
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Main Card
Prelims
Early Prelims
