The UFC flyweight championship is set to witness an electrifying title defense as Alexandre Pantoja prepares to square off against Steve Erceg at UFC 301 on May 4, 2024. This marks Pantoja’s second title defense, and it promises to be an exciting bout. Erceg, on the other hand, is gearing up for his first-ever championship fight within the UFC, despite having only three previous fights in the octagon. His potential has caught the attention of the flyweight contender Muhammad Mokaev, who has publicly shown his support for Erceg’s title bid.
Muhammad Mokaev, ranked number six in the division and four spots ahead of Erceg, has taken to the social platform X to voice his encouragement for the challenger. Mokaev’s endorsement is significant, given his own aspirations and impressive six-fight winning streak in the UFC. Despite his own ambitions, Mokaev seems to bear no ill will towards Erceg for securing the title shot before him. His support was evident in his post where he stated, “I really wanna see Erceg win this fight.”
Mokaev further elaborated on his views regarding the fighters’ skills, emphasizing Erceg’s striking ability over Pantoja’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu expertise. He expressed his perspective in another post, saying, “I think his striking is better than Pantoja. Pantoja is just a dog with BJJ technique. Nothing special I see in him.” His posts on X have stirred up conversations among fans and analysts alike, as they anticipate the upcoming fight.
Steve Erceg, with a professional MMA record of 12-1, is relatively new to the UFC. However, his performance thus far has been nothing short of impressive, earning him a shot at the title in only his fourth fight with the promotion. Champion Alexandre Pantoja has recognized Erceg’s capabilities, indicating that he sees Erceg as a legitimate threat. In an interview with SHAK MMA, Pantoja praised Erceg’s performances against formidable opponents like Alessandro Costa and David Dvorak, as well as his knockout victory over Matt Schnell, which he described as looking “very easy.”
Pantoja has made it clear that he is not underestimating Erceg, despite the challenger’s brief tenure in the UFC. He has been meticulously studying Erceg’s past UFC fights and acknowledges that the contender has the potential to seize the championship belt on fight night. With the added pressure of defending his title in front of his home crowd in Rio de Janeiro, Pantoja is determined to maintain his reign as the flyweight champion. Fans and fighters alike are eagerly awaiting the face-off between these two talented athletes at UFC 301.
