An unlikely challenger in Steve Erceg looks to dethrone UFC flyweight champion in his backyard at UFC 301 on May 4. The fight in Brazil, and undercard action, airs on ESPN+ in the U.S.
Pantoja is on a five-fight win streak, with three contests going the distance. “The Cannibal” beat Brandon Moreno for flyweight gold, and looks for his second successful title defense.
Erceg is ranked tenth in the UFC’s flyweight rankings. The Aussie is on an eleven-fight win streak and is 3-0 in the octagon, His impressive win against Matt Schnell caught the eye the UFC, and a busy division meant he was the next man up to challenge Pantoja.
The underdog, Erceg understands how dangerous Patoja can be, given his eight wins via knockout, ten via submission, and nine decision wins. Erceg has given Pantoja his flowers, but believes there is a way to bring an end to his reign.
WATCH: UFC 301: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg, exclusively on ESPN+
“I think honestly it’s his mental toughness,” Erceg told Submission Radio via Sherdog. “Like he gets hit, he gets put into bad spots sometimes, but he just keeps going forward. He gets tired and he finds a way to keep pushing the whole fight. Somebody that’s not gonna give up is obviously a very dangerous person.
“He has great skills outside of that, but some people with great skills, they’re not winning the way they expect to be winning, they break. But I don’t think he will break. Someone has to take it away from him.”
Pantoja won’t be the only one performing in front of his fellow countrymen. Jose Aldo competes in a cage for the first time since 2022 to fight Jonathan Martinez. The former UFC featherweight champion and recent inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame has one fight left with the promotion, and looks to make the ultimate comeback, even if it may be for the final time.
The Sporting News will provide results from the entire UFC 301 card.
UFC 301 full card results
Main Card
Alexandre Pantoja (c) vs. Steve Erceg for the UFC flyweight title
Jonathan Martinez vs. Jose Aldo; Bantamweights
Anthony Smith vs. Vitor Petrino; Light Heavyweights
Michel Pereira vs. Ihor Potieria; Middleweights
Paul Craig vs. Caio Borralho; Middleweights
Prelims
Joanderson Brito vs. Jack Shore; Featherweights
Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Iasmin Lucindo; Strawweights
Elves Brener vs. Myktybek Orolbai; Lightweights
Drakkar Klose def. Joaquim Silva via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Early Prelims
Mauricio Ruffy def. Jamie Mullarkey via TKO (4:42 into round one)
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 TKO (1:35 into round two)
MORE: Ranked: The 25 best MMA fighters under the age of 25
When is UFC 301: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg today?
Date: May 4, 2024
Time: 10 p.m. ET | 9 p.m. CT | 7 p.m. PT
Location: T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas, Nevada)
The early prelims start at 6 p.m. ET, with the prelims at 8 p.m. ET. The main card is at 10 p.m. ET. Pantoja and Erceg should make their way to the octagon around 12:15 a.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
UFC 301 is in the Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The arena can hold up to 18,000+ people.
Region
Date
Early Prelims Start Time
Prelims Start Time
Main Card Start Time
Main Event Ring Walks (approx.)
USA and Canada (ET)
Saturday, May 4
6 p.m. ET
8 p.m. ET
10 p.m. ET
12:15 a.m. ET (Sun morn)
USA and Canada (PT)
Saturday, May 4
3 p.m. PT
5 p.m. PT
7 p.m. PT
9:15 p.m. PT
UK and Ireland
Sunday, May 5
11 p.m. BST (Sat night)
1 a.m. BST
3 a.m. BST
5:15 a.m. BST
Australia
Sunday, May 5
8 a.m. AEST
10 a.m. AEST
12 p.m. AEST
2:15 p.m. AEST
India
Saturday, May 4
3:30 a.m. IST
5:30 a.m. IST
7:30 a.m. IST
9:45 a.m. IST
How to watch UFC 301: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg TV channel, live stream
Country
Date
Channel + Live Stream (main card)
United States
Saturday, May 4
ESPN+, ESPN PPV
Canada
Saturday, May 4
Sportsnet+, DAZN, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass, Rumble, YouTube
United Kingdom
Sunday, May 5
TNT Sports, discovery+
Australia
Sunday, May 5
Main Event Kayo Sports, UFC Fight Pass
UFC 301: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg PPV price: How much does UFC 300 cost?
In the U.S., the UFC 301 main card is available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, which also requires a subscription. The PPV price for UFC 301 is $79.99 for current subscribers. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $134.98 for the UFC 301 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of more than 30 percent.
In the UK, the main card is on TNT Sports Box Office and will cost £19.99.
WATCH: UFC 301: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg, exclusively on ESPN+
Product
Prices
ESPN+ Monthly Subscription
$10.99/mo
ESPN+ Annual Subscription
$109.99/yr
The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported
$14.99/mo
The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads
$24.99/mo
UFC PPV Standalone
$79.99 each
UFC PPV Package (UFC PPV & ESPN+ Annual)
$134.98, then $109.99/year
UFC PPV & The Disney Bundle
$79.99, then $14.99/mo
Click here to learn about the different pricing and bundling options with the ESPN+ platform.
If UFC 301 is not available to watch live in your location or if you’re traveling abroad, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs provide a secure and private online connection, allowing you to bypass geographical restrictions to access your favorite streaming services from any device anywhere in the world.
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