Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg Prediction: Can Pantoja Defend His Belt at UFC 301?

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg Prediction: Can Pantoja Defend His Belt at UFC 301?

The UFC is back in Brazil this weekend as the defending champion Alexandre Pantoja looks to defend his belt against the up-and-coming Steve Erceg.

Pantoja vs. Erceg UFC 301 DATE, TIME AND WHERE TO WATCH

• Date: May 4th, 2024,
• Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
• Where to Watch: ESPN+ PPV

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg Prediction

Alexander Pantoja first won his belt back in July last year when he defeated Brandon Moreno at UFC 290. Pantoja then defended against Brandon Royval in December of last year at UFC 296. Now, he faces one of the newer and rising names in the flyweight division in Steve Erceg.

Steve Erceg is only 12-1 in his MMA career and has only fought three times in the UFC. He is ranked number ten in the division at the moment and there is speculation as to whether he is deserving of a title shot so soon. We have been seeing this more in the UFC recently, as guys will quickly jump the division if the UFC deems them worthy of a title shot, as we saw most recently with Alex Pereira getting a very quick shot at the middleweight belt.

This fight will likely hit the ground with both men being excellent grapplers. Erceg has six submissions to his name in 12 total victories and Pantoja has ten submissions in 27 victories. Both are excellent Brazilian jiu-jitsu artists, and this should be a very interesting scrap when it hits the canvas.

Ultimately, I think Pantoja has a pretty hefty advantage in the experience department and will be the much more composed fighter overall. Erceg is explosive and has a nice grappling game, but Pantoja has an excellent chin and has never been finished in his career before. I don’t see Erceg being able to submit Pantoja on the ground, but I do think Pantoja can rack up a lot of control time and grind out a decision.

There may be some moments where Pantoja is close to a submission, but I think Erceg's jiu-jitsu will give him enough defense to keep from tapping out. Therefore, I’m taking Pantoja by decision +230, as I see the most value on this prop for this main event.

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg Pick

Pick: Alexandre Pantoja By Decision +230 Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds

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