UFC 301 Preview Show: Steve Erceg's Unlikely Moment, Jose Aldo's UFC Swan Song, More
#UFC301 goes down Saturday night in Rio de Janeiro, and Brazil is represented on the card from top-to-bottom - including Alexandre Pantoja defending his flyweight title against Steve Erceg in the main event, and Jose Aldo returning to the octagon, and his throne as "The King of Rio" as he faces Jonathan Martinez in the co-main event. Will the Brazilian fans go home happier than they did after UFC 283 in January 2023?
Ahead of the pay-per-view event, MMA Fighting's Shaun Al-Shatti, Mike Heck, and Alexander K. Lee preview the fight card, and the main event between Pantoja and Erceg, discuss the challenger's underdog shot, and if Pantoja continues to be overlooked as a champion. Additonally, they'll talk Aldo's future following Saturday night, what Martinez would gain from a win over Aldo, the low-key bangers, plus answer viewer questions, and more.
Watch LIVE Friday at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT.
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @mmafightingonsbn
Subscribe to MMA Fighting on KZhead: goo.gl/dYpsgH
Subscribe to The MMA Hour on iTunes: Apple.co/themmahour
Subscribe to The MMA Hour on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/0NUQhyU...
Subscribe to MMA Fighting feed on iTunes: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Check out our full video catalog: goo.gl/u8VvLi
Visit our playlists: goo.gl/eFhsvM
Like MMAF on Facebook: goo.gl/uhdg7Z
Follow on Twitter: goo.gl/nOATUI
Read More: www.mmafighting.com
MMA Fighting is your home for exclusive interviews, live shows, and more for one of the world's fastest-growing sports. Get latest news and more here: www.mmafighting.com
If you’re paying almost 100 bucks for a ppv it should be stacked every time.
and thats why i never pay😉
Steve Erceg is hugely underrated on the ground imho. When he was Eternal MMA champion he won the belt by subbing Shannon Ross and dominated Hirai in his last defense win by submission there too. He got a black belt in his mid 20’s and was always billed as a grappler before he beat Dvorak
Anik said on his podcast he was with Dom and Dom never got offered that fight
Are we still saying Ho-zay Aldo in 2024 AK Lee? For shame
not Alex Boooooooo!
I agree with Mike, Orolbai vs. Brener is a banger 🔥🔥
I really like Mike Heck, which is funny because I disagree with just about all of his MMA takes. Another good episode team.
My impression of a Mike Heck MMA prediction: It’s 3 minutes and 13 seconds into the third round, and this fight has been a slobber knocker! Pantoja wins round 1, 10-8 after landing a spinning back kick at 16 seconds of the first round, spending the remainder of the round in top control and landing brutal ground and pound. The significant strike count is 56 -2 for Pants. Vinnie Cigs comes back in round two by keeping it on the feet and landing vicious body strikes. Also worth noting, Pantoja does something to his left ankle towards the end of the round and limps back to his corner. The crowd is going nuts. There will literally be four different fights going on in the audience during the break between rounds. The third rounds starts strong, showcasing a back and forth scrap between both fighters, but then Vinnie Cigs feints a takedown and Pants reacts just as Cigs flys into the air with a jump knee! Vinnie Cigs follows up with three definitive ground strikes before Ref Herb Dean steps in to stop the fight. The crowd boos both Vinnie Cigs, and especially Herb Dean for his late stoppage. Vinnie Cigs calls for a fight against Volk at UFC Perth, calling for a shot at the inaugural 165 pound belt. Anyway, that’s just my initial impression without giving it too much thought.
1:18:53 But McGregor got into Aldo's head and Aldo came out recklessly and with emotion... It wasn't just a 13-second loss: he got played by McGregor (and I'm writing as a McGregor-hater). Recall that photo of Aldo afterwards in the locker-room. It is very unlikely that anything would be worse.
Mike wearing a very Vinny Cigs-esque polo shirt
Jonathan "The Deposition Mission " Martinez.
Give me Jose Aldo in bare knuckle boxing at some point please
Good fights but like you all said it just doesn’t feel like a ppv
@e_casey_leydon so if an mma fighter is a better grappler that makes him a better fighter? If mohomed kept it standing does he beat erceg? Some say fighting is with the hands so maybe erceg the better fighter fighter. Mo isnt getting the title shot because his performances are lack luster because hes usually just the better wrestler. I like mo too im just saying
I bought it because my dad likes to watch the fights with me and he doesn’t know the difference between who is who
Heck wear pants or long shorts on your watch party.. And please no more extra medium shirts
No reason to buy this card. Don’t care for the main or co main… I’ll stream Paul Craig and Anthony Smith. Probably call it a night early after that. Win, win.
A mediocre UFC Fight Night card
Cmon Ak get your currency exchange rates at least in the ballpark of being true
I want the UFC events to take a cue from the WWE as far as the name is concerned. UFC Revenge, UFC Great American Bash, UFC Armageddon. Yes please.😅
Worst take ever.
UFC did that for the first 100 events, that stopped about UFC 101. I think there were some sporadic ones after that like UFC 112: Invincible, UFC 125: Resolution.
No one buys ppv’s anyways
That’s not true only Media members and KZheadrs do lol 😂 n a small % of ppl who think they better then everyone else..my argument is the streams is what has grown the sport, and part of reason they break records every year despite the ppv numbers going down
I hoped THAT alex guy retired 😂😂
Smells like casual poors in the comments.
302 is mid
End flywheight division and womens mma