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UFC 301 Takeaways and Thoughts
May 6, 2024
Despite being a PPV, UFC 301 didn’t get a ton of media attention. I thought it ended up being a really fun show, though. Despite not having a ton of name value (for a PPV, at least), the Brazilian fans were into the fights and there ended up being some really awesome moments. Let’s take a look at the results…
Main Card
Alexandre Pantoja (c) def. Steve Erceg via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47)
Jose Aldo def. Jonathan Martinez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Anthony Smith def. Vitor Petrino via first-round submission (guillotine choke)
Michel Pereira def. Ihor Potieria via first-round submission (guillotine choke)
Caio Borralho def. Paul Craig via second-round KO (punches)
Prelims
Joanderson Brito def. Jack Shore via second-round TKO (doctor stoppage)
Iasmin Lucindo def. Karolina Kowalkiewicz via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Myktybek Orolbai def. Elves Brener via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
Drakkar Klose def. Joaquim Silva via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Mauricio Ruffy def. Jamie Mullarkey via first-round TKO (knee, punches)
Dione Barbosa def. Ernesta Kareckaite via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Ismael Bonfim def. Vinc Pichel via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Alessandro Costa def. Kevin Borjas via second-round TKO (punches)
The Prelims
I tend to enjoy the Prelims to begin with, but I was excited for this show’s early fights due to the Brazilian crowd. The fans were into the action early and it was great to see and hear. Some of the highlights…
Costa/Borjas was an excellent way to start the night. They were battling hard and it was clear that they were not going to go three rounds. Costa got the nice TKO in the second. Great first fight!
I don’t know how Pichel made it through the whole fight. Ismael Bonfim hit him with everything. Not only did Bonfim look great, but Pichel deserves all the respect in the world for going to a decision. Wow!
Mauricio Ruffy connected beautifully on just about everything he threw. I can’t wait to see his next fight.
Klose/Silva was a fun battle with Klose getting a nice win.
Elves Brener, much like Vinc Pichel, deserves a lot of respect for making it to a decision. Myktybek Oralbai looked great until he lost some steam.
The doctor stoppage to give Joanderson Brito the win over Jack Shore was nasty. Shore’s shin had such a disgusting hole in it. Brito is a beast and Shore is so tough for needing the doctor to tell him he was done.
Caio Borralho def. Paul Craig
Well, we knew Paul Craig was going to try and get this fight to the ground. The question was - would Caio Borralho oblige and showcase his ground game, too? The answer was a resounding “no.” Caio Borralho showed how good his stand up game is, knocking out Craig with a vicious punch in the second round. Craig was no match for Borralho on the feet. I like Paul Craig a lot, but he really needs to understand that today’s MMA requires you to be ready for all aspects of a fight - not just a ground game.
Michel Pereira def. Ihor Potieria
Middleweight is clearly the place to be for Michel Pereira. This was his third straight win since returning to the division - all of which have been first round finishes. He’s been dominant since the fall. I am excited to see him step into the Octagon against some higher level fighters to see if he’s ready to make a charge up the rankings.
Anthony Smith def. Vitor Petrino
Just when you thought you had this sport figured out…Anthony Smith submits Vitor Petrino in the first round. All due respect to Anthony Smith, but very few people had him winning this fight. The cagey veteran, though, heard none of that. He knew that he had a gatekeeping job to do and he did just that. Smith is clearly on the back end of his career, but he’s making it fun. This was a tough loss for Petrino, though, who not only loses his zero in the loss column, but also will have to go back to proving that he can hang with tougher competition. It’ll be interesting to see what is in store the next time out for both of these men.
Jose Aldo def. Jonathan Martinez
This was a risky fight for Jonathan Martinez. Even a win wouldn’t have benefited him too much. A loss…well, we’ll have to see how much it sets him back because that’s exactly what happened. Jose Aldo came in and had his hands looking just as quick as ever. This was a nice showing for him and he said he’s not done. One last Aldo run could be a lot of fun. It’ll be interesting to see who Martinez faces next and if he can get back on track.
Alexandre Pantoja def. Steve Erceg to retain the Flyweight Championship
Once Steve Erceg settled down, this became a hell of a fight. It was back and forth with great shots from both men. This was everything I wanted from the fight and more. Erceg proved that he can hang with the best, while Pantoja showed why he is, indeed, the champion. I give a lot of credit to both men for taking this fight. Many people felt that Erceg wasn’t ready and questioned Pantoja for taking a fight with the #10 ranked Flyweight. However, both guys proved just how tough they are and it was a great fight. It’ll be interesting to see who steps up next for Pantoja, as the division is pretty wide open. For Erceg, it’s pretty clear that he’ll be back for a shot soon.
For a card that didn’t get as much attention as other PPVs, this show ended up being a lot of fun. There were excellent fights at the top of the card, the Main Card started off with three finishes, and the Prelims were fun to watch.
My Picks
I ended up going 9-4 with my picks. Not too bad! I ended up not betting on the picks, though, so no money was made, but no money was lost, either! I’ll take it.
Other Tidbits
Matt Brown announced his retirement after 19 years and 43 fights. He was also on my personal favorite season of The Ultimate Fighter. I wish him nothing but the best in his retirement!
Mauricio Rua was announced as the next inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame. His time in PRIDE and the UFC speaks for itself. He was so much fun to watch and the Hall of Fame is much deserved. Congratulations!
Did you watch UFC 301? If so, what did you think? What was your favorite fight? Let me know at matt.tenhoeve@gmail.com. I’ll be back later in the week to talk about UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Nascimento. See you then!
