The UFC flyweight championship takes center stage on a pay-per-view event for the first time in a long time. Alexandre Pantoja defends the 125-pound title against Steve Erceg at UFC 301 on Saturday, the first PPV headlined with the flyweight title since Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno at UFC 256.
Pantoja gets the chance to fight at home for the first time since 2013 and the first time in the UFC. After minor setbacks against Deiveson Figueiredo and Askar Askarov in 2019 and 2020, respectively, the Brazilian has ripped off five straight wins to claim the title and score one title defense. Erceg, meanwhile, gets a title shot in just his fourth UFC appearance after debuting with the promotion in June 2023.
The most notable undercard fight sees the return of UFC Hall of Famer and former featherweight king Jose Aldo when he takes on rising contender Jonathan Martinez at bantamweight. Aldo returns from a brief retirement to fight in front of his hometown fans for the first time since 2019. He has stayed busy in retirement, however, taking a trio of boxing matches against lesser competition. Martinez cannot be overlooked as he enters on the best run of his career, a winner of six in a row, including a leg kick TKO of Adrian Yanez in his last appearance.
Elsewhere on the card, light heavyweight veteran Anthony Smith looks to get back in the win column when he takes on rising contender Vitor Petrino. Smith, 35, has lost three of his last four fights and the lone win came by split decision over Ryan Spann -- the fighter whom he scored his last victory over before the losing skid. Petrino, meanwhile, is undefeated at 11-0 in his young career with seven of those wins coming by TKO.
Below is the complete fight card for UFC 301 along with the latest odds. Check back all week long for the latest news, features and other content around this massive event.
UFC 301 fight card, odds
- Alexandre Pantoja (c) -190 vs. Steve Erceg +160, flyweight title
- Jonathan Martinez -160 vs. Jose Aldo +135, bantamweights
- Vitor Petrino -500 vs. Anthony Smith +375, light heavyweights
- Michel Pereira -550 vs. Ihor Potieria +400, middleweights
- Caio Borralho -550 vs. Paul Craig +400, middleweights
- Joanderson Brito -150 vs. Jack Shore +125, featherweights
- Iasmin Lucindo -420 vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz +320, women's strawweights
- Myktybek Orolbai -275 vs. Elves Brener +225, lightweights
- Drakkar Klose -160 vs. Joaquim Silva +135, lightweights
- Mauricio Ruffy -180 vs. Jamie Mullarkey +155, lightweights
- Dione Barbosa -220 vs. Ernesta Kareckaite +180, women's flyweights
- Ismael Bonfim -550 vs. Vinc Pichel +400, lightweights
- Alessandro Costa -130 vs. Kevin Borjas +110, flyweights
UFC 301 info
- Date: May 4
- Location: Farmasi Arena -- Rio de Janeiro
- Start time: 10 p.m. ET (Main card)
- How to watch: ESPN+ PPV
UFC 301 countdown
- Staff predictions and expert picks for the main card
- Brookhouse: Best bets to consider on the main card
- Mahjouri: Pantoja hopes to recreate iconic moment in Brazil with win
- Campbell: Five biggest storylines to watch in Brazil
- Mahjouri: Aldo says fighting out contract gives him a best-case scenario
Who wins UFC 301: Pantoja vs. Erceg, and how exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on UFC 301, all from the MMA expert who profited more than $1,500 on his UFC main-card picks in 2023, and find out.
