By Safeer
Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson reigned the UFC’s flyweight division with an iron first since the inception of the men’s flyweight weight class. However, things changed when Henry Cejudo upset the odds and won via split decision against Mighty Mouse. Cejudo retired after a title defense and it was the Brandon Moreno-Deiveson Figueiredo saga afterward. Now Alexandre Pantoja has appeared to bring stability in the division. After all, he has victories over many of the fighters in the top 10 of the rankings and it is one of the reasons why Steve Erceg got a title shot just three fights into the UFC as a relative unknown.
Will Steve Erceg become a champion at UFC 301?
It is rare for flyweights to headline a PPV but the promotion did not have a Brazilian champion available to headline the event other than Alexandre Pantoja. Alex Pereira, the light heavyweight champion headlined UFC 300, and even though he expressed interest in fighting at UFC 301, the promotion was not ready. Nonetheless, all circumstances have paved the way for Erceg to become Rocky Balboa. After all, Pantoja, the dominant champion giving a chance to the relatively unknown Erceg is a Rocky story.
Alexandre Pantoja’s best attributes are his relentless pressure, granite chin, and exceptional jiu-jitsu. For Erceg, to become the champion, he should keep the fight at a distance as Pantoja has been winning fights by taking down his opponents. As a taller and longer fighter, Erceg would be comfortable doing that. Moreover, he should not be trying to knock out Pantoja. Deiveson Figueiredo, the hardest-known puncher in the division, couldn’t do that. The Australian should be calm and composed and should pick his spots.
Even though wrestling is not popular in Australia, Erceg has shown that he has a knack for it. However, wrestling Pantoja is a risk, considering the high probability of Pantoja sinking in a submission. Erceg has to force Pantoja into making mistakes by refusing to brawl and grapple. Boxing is key for the victory. Even though the shorter Pantoja has the same reach as Erceg, the Australian can easily lean in with his weight and get extra leverage on his punches.
MMA is a brutal sport and nobody can predict the outcome of a fight. However, at UFC 301, the chances are very high that Alexandre Pantoja will defend the title. Even though Erceg is younger than the champion, the Brazilian champion has the experience. Therefore, Erceg would find it difficult to fight under pressure, particularly as the pro-Pantoja crowd would chant death threats to the Australian fighter.
