Still reeling from the high that was UFC 300? Well, the promotion’s got a relatively good card to brighten up your Sunday mornings, straight from the acai capital of the world, Rio De Janeiro. As far as a PPV is concerned, UFC 301 isn’t as hot as say 303, but it does have some outstanding fights that we think you should watch. There’s a serious featherweight clash, a few lightweight and bantamweight bangers, and a bonafide legend’s return all wrapped up in a neat little pay-per-view package. Without further ado, let’s get into 5 fights that you should catch on UFC 301.
Alexandre Pantoja vs Steve Erceg (Flyweight title fight)
The flyweight division isn’t the deepest in terms of talent, hence a Steve Erceg title shot, but it does have some of the most skilled fighters in all of MMA. Since the departure of one, Demetrious Johnson, the flyweight belt has seen its fair share of being passed around. That is until Pantoja won it. The man from Brazil has been on a tear lately, with both stopping power on the feet and a wicked ground game to boot. He last outpointed an overmatched Brandon Royval and will be looking to spill blood this time around. In his way is Steve Erceg. With the look and demeanour of a kitten, Erceg should not be taken lightly. The Australian is an excellent grappler himself and has recently shown marked improvement in his boxing. While it may not be the most exciting match-up on paper, Pantoja’s finishing ability should make this a fun one as long as it lasts.
Alexandre Pantoja by submission Round 2.
Jose Aldo vs Jonathan Martinez
UFC 301 will also see the return of the much beloved King of Rio, Jose Aldo. After a couple of tough losses in the bantamweight division, Aldo took a break and focused on two boxing matches against Jeremy Stephens and Esteban Gabriel Espindola. After a long layoff, he’s back and is taking on a dangerous young gun in Jonathan Martinez. What makes this fight intriguing is Martinez’s leg kicks vs Aldo’s defence. Not to downplay Aldo’s leg-kicking game, the man crippled Urijah Faber back in the WEC, but he just doesn’t use them anymore, preferring to box with his opponents. Martinez is susceptible to being cracked on the feet as evidenced by his brutal knockout loss to Davey Grant. It’s a good fight for an ageing legend to come back to and if Martinez manages to pull off the win, it’ll be a nice feather in his cap.
Jose Aldo by TKO Round 3
Jack Shore vs Joanderson Brito
One of the more highly touted prospects in recent years, Jack Shore has been quite impressive, apart from a drubbing by Ricky Simon. His move to featherweight seems to have done wonders as he gutted out a finish against Makhwan Amirkhani in the 3rd. But, as luck would have it, he’s been matched up against a destroyer in Joanderson Brito. A concussive puncher with elite finishing skills on the ground, Brito is definitely one to keep an eye out for. He’s finished all but one of his UFC opponents in the first round, reserving a sweet ninja choke in the second round against Jonathan Pearce. This is a really bad matchup for Shore as the Welshman has struggled with bigger, stronger guys in the past and Brito has all those attributes and more.
Joanderson Brito KO Round 1
Elves Brenner vs Myktybek Orolbai
Now this is a tasty matchup that fight fans can really sink their teeth into. Elves Brenner is a buzzsaw and he’s about to meet a concrete block in Myktybek Orolbai. This is a classic unstoppable force meets immovable object scenario and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Brenner has been nothing but scintillating since his debut, crushing a highly touted Guram Kuntateladze in the 3rd round. He followed it up with a brutal KO over Kaynan Kruschewsky and will now look to add another scalp to this collection. Standing in his way is a scary Kyrgyztani warrior. Orolbai made his debut up at welterwieght where he did face some serious danger against Uros Medic but persevered and forced a tap from a neck crank in Round 2. This is an intriguing fight that will test both guys in just the right way.
Elves Brenner by KO/TKO Round 3
Ismael Bonfim vs Vince Pichel
Although he came into the UFC with a ton of hype, knocking out Rerence McKinney with a flying knee, Bonfim’s train has sputtered a bit. A humiliating loss to Benoit St Denis and a botched weight cut stumbled the Brazilian prospect and he’ll be looking to bounce back against an always tough Vince Pichel. A veteran through and through, Pichel has been rather inactive, last picking up a loss in 2022 against Mark Madsen. It’ll be an uphill climb for the vet though as Bonfim is no joke. The Brazilian has a dangerous right hand and is extremely aggressive on the ground as well. He’s got a style that requires careful game-planning and execution, which Pichel doesn’t have the skills for. This should be another showcase for Bonfim, assuming he doesn’t miss weight this time.
Ismael Bonfim KO/TKO Round 2
