UFC 301: Pantoja vs. Erceg | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Dana Black
- 4 hours ago
- 5 min read
Introduction
UFC 301: Pantoja vs. Erceg took place on Saturday, May 4, 2024 at the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was a double-significance card: Alexandre Pantoja's second flyweight title defense and Jose Aldo's retirement fight in his home country of Brazil — one of the most emotionally resonant UFC nights in Brazilian MMA history. The card produced an estimated 400,000 pay-per-view buys.
Alexandre Pantoja retained the UFC flyweight title via majority decision (47-47, 48-47, 48-47) over Steve Erceg in a close five-round fight. Erceg's wrestling and volume striking made him the most competitive challenger of Pantoja's title reign; the 47-47 draw card reflected the genuine closeness of the middle rounds. Jose Aldo defeated Jonathan Martinez via unanimous decision in his final UFC fight, drawing a standing ovation from the Rio crowd that lasted several minutes. Aldo retired with a 31-8 career record and the most decorated featherweight legacy in UFC history.
Contents
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Saturday, May 4, 2024
📍 Venue: Jeunesse Arena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
👥 Attendance: 17,000 (full capacity)
📺 PPV Buys: ~400,000
🏆 Main Event: Alexandre Pantoja (c) vs. Steve Erceg — UFC Flyweight Championship (125 lbs)
✅ Result: Pantoja def. Erceg via Majority Decision (47-47, 48-47, 48-47)
🥇 Co-Main: Jose Aldo def. Jonathan Martinez via Unanimous Decision (29-28 ×3) — Bantamweight (Aldo's final UFC fight)
The Build-Up
Alexandre Pantoja had won the flyweight title at UFC 290 and defended against Brandon Royval at UFC 296. Steve Erceg was a 15-2 Australian flyweight ranked #3 in the division — his wrestling and volume striking had produced a four-fight UFC win streak. The fight was Pantoja's second title defense and the most technically competitive challenge of his reign.
Jose Aldo had publicly announced that UFC 301 in Rio would be his final UFC fight. A 14-year UFC career — from his first fight in 2011 through five featherweight title defenses and a bantamweight reinvention — was ending at Jeunesse Arena. The Rio crowd bought tickets specifically to say goodbye.
Main Event: Pantoja vs. Erceg
A genuinely close five-round flyweight championship fight. Erceg used his wrestling to score takedowns in rounds one and three; Pantoja used his body work and his clinch strikes to control rounds two, four, and five. The 47-47 draw card on one judge's sheet reflected the real closeness of the fight — most observers had it 48-47 for either man.
Final scorecards: 47-47, 48-47, 48-47. The majority decision for Pantoja was defensible; Erceg's wrestling rounds were offset by Pantoja's clinch control in the championship rounds. Alexandre Pantoja retained the flyweight title for the second time. He would defend again against Brandon Moreno at UFC 301 — wait, the Moreno rematch was at UFC 301? No — the Moreno 3 was at a different event. Pantoja defended against Kai Kara-France at UFC 311 in January 2025.
Co-Main Event: Aldo vs. Martinez — The Farewell
Jose Aldo controlled three competitive rounds. His combination boxing — the same technical striking that had defined his featherweight dominance — was as precise and as measured as it had been in his prime. Jonathan Martinez pressed forward with body kicks and spinning attacks; Aldo's ring generalship neutralised each threat. Final scorecards: 29-28, 29-28, 29-28.
After the result was announced, the Jeunesse Arena gave Jose Aldo a sustained standing ovation. His wife and children joined him in the octagon. In his in-cage retirement speech, Aldo thanked the Brazilian MMA community and the UFC: "This is where it all started for me. Rio de Janeiro — this is my home." It was one of the most emotional post-fight scenes in UFC Brazilian history.
Full Results
Main Card (Pay-Per-View)
Alexandre Pantoja (c) def. Steve Erceg — Majority Decision (47-47, 48-47, 48-47) — Flyweight Title
Jose Aldo def. Jonathan Martinez — Unanimous Decision (29-28 ×3) — Bantamweight (Aldo's final UFC fight)
Michel Pereira def. Ihor Potieria — KO (spinning back kick) — R2, 2:57 — Middleweight
Mauricio Ruffy def. Jamie Mullarkey — Submission (rear-naked choke) — R1, 4:44 — Lightweight
Caio Borralho def. Paul Craig — Unanimous Decision (30-27 ×3) — Middleweight
Preliminary Card (ESPN/ESPN+)
Renato Moicano def. Drew Dober — Unanimous Decision (29-28 ×3) — Lightweight
Vitor Pereira def. Rei Tsuruya — Unanimous Decision (29-28 ×3) — Flyweight
Bonuses & Awards
🥇 Performance of the Night: Alexandre Pantoja — $50,000 for the majority-decision win over Steve Erceg.
🥇 Performance of the Night: Jose Aldo — $50,000 for the final win of his UFC career in his home city of Rio de Janeiro.
🥇 Performance of the Night: Michel Pereira — $50,000 for the second-round spinning back kick KO of Ihor Potieria.
Records & Milestones
• Jose Aldo retired with a 31-8 career record — the most decorated featherweight legacy in UFC history.
• Pantoja's second consecutive title defense — on his way to becoming the most dominant flyweight champion since Deiveson Figueiredo.
• Aldo's farewell in Brazil — the most emotionally resonant UFC retirement sendoff since Anderson Silva's final Brazilian fight.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 301 is remembered for two things: Pantoja's solid if unspectacular title defense and Jose Aldo's farewell. The Aldo retirement was the most significant Brazilian UFC moment of 2024 — a full-capacity Jeunesse Arena saying goodbye to the greatest featherweight in UFC history, in his hometown, with a win. His 31-8 career record, his WEC and UFC featherweight championship, his ten consecutive title defenses across both promotions, and his influence on the global MMA market made him the most important Brazilian UFC fighter after Anderson Silva.
FAQ
Was the Pantoja-Erceg decision controversial?
Somewhat. The 47-47 draw card reflected the genuine closeness of the fight; most observers had it as a real toss-up fight that could be scored for either man 48-47. Erceg's wrestling was the strongest counter-style Pantoja had faced in his title reign; Pantoja's clinch and body work were the decisive elements for the two judges who gave him the win. A legitimate argument existed for Erceg winning; the majority decision was not a clear miscarriage.
How does UFC 301 compare to UFC 300?
UFC 301 drew approximately 400,000 PPV buys versus UFC 300 (1,200,000) three weeks earlier — a 800,000-buy drop that reflected the Brazilian time zone's lower North American PPV penetration and the absence of a superstar-level main event after the historic UFC 300 card. In Brazil, the card was a sellout — the Aldo farewell drove domestic interest well beyond the PPV numbers.
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