The UFC returns to Brazil for the first time this year with Saturday’s UFC 301 event in Rio de Janeiro. In the main event, UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja will seek to defend his title against fast-rising contender Steve Erceg.
Pantoja comes into this 125-pound title fight as the favorite at odds of -180, while Erceg is a +163 underdog in his first crack at a UFC championship.
Pantoja (27-5) cashed as a moderate underdog when he took the title from Brandon Moreno with a narrow split-decision victory last July. His last time out, he used a grappling-heavy approach to dominate challenger Brandon Royval en route to a unanimous decision win. This will be his first fight back home in Brazil since 2013, and he’s likely to be greeted by an enthusiastically partisan crowd.
Erceg (12-1) is getting a big step up in competition here, and in just his fourth UFC fight. He had a lot of success on the regional circuit in his home country of Australia, followed by three straight victories in the UFC after debuting last year. But Erceg has never gone five rounds in his pro career, and he’s also never faced an opponent the caliber of Pantoja. As the No. 10-ranked flyweight in the UFC, he was something of a surprise choice to fight for the title here. Still, he has not lost a fight since 2017, and has some momentum after recording just his second career win via knockout in March.
In the UFC 301 co-main event, former featherweight champion Jose Aldo will return from a brief retirement to take on Jonathan Martinez in a 135-pound bout. Aldo is a slight underdog at +130 after spending most of the last 18 months dipping his toe in the pro boxing waters. Martinez is the -148 favorite, having won six straight fights in the UFC, including a leg kick TKO victory over Adrian Yanez last fall. A full break down of UFC odds are below:
UFC 301 odds and fight card
| Alexandre Pantoja | Steve Erceg |
| Jose Aldo | Jonathan Martinez |
| Anthony Smith | Vitor Petrino |
| Michel Pereira | Ihor Potieria |
| Paul Craig | Caio Borralho |
| Jack Shore | Joanderson Brito |
| Karolina Kowalkiewicz | Iasmin Lucindo |
| Elves Brenner | Myktybek Orolbai |
| Joaquim Silva | Drakkar Klose |
| Mauricio Ruffy | Jamie Mullarkey |
| Dione Barbosa | Ernesta Kareckaite |
| Ismael Bonfim | Vinc Pichel |
| Alessandro Costa | Kevin Borjas |
How to watch UFC 301
- Early prelims: 6 p.m. ET, ESPN+
- Prelims: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
- Main card: 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+ pay-per-view
