Steve Erceg, rather than expected contenders like Muhammad Mokaev, will challenge Alexandre Pantoja for a UFC belt on May 4 at UFC 301, sparking reactions from fellow fighters.
Well, well, well, Steve Erceg is the unexpected champ of the Alexandre Pantoja sweepstakes. Who saw that coming? Not me, that’s for sure.
UFC dropped the bomb on Friday. And guess what? It’s Erceg, not Muhammad Mokaev, Brandon Royval, or any of the other usual flyweight suspects, who’s up against Pantoja for a UFC belt. The date? May 4. The place? Rio de Janeiro. The event? UFC 301.
This announcement is a shocker. It comes just three bouts into Erceg’s octagon career. Fresh off a March win over Matt Schnell, it’s stirred up quite the reaction from the 27-year-old’s fellow fighters.
Want to see the reactions? Check ’em out below. Mokaev’s response is priceless. He’s been vocally campaigning for the spot, and he’s not happy.
Mokaev tweeted, “Tf UFC just done? I have the second active winning streak in MMA flyweight history! InshaAllah, I will take this belt soon!”
He added, “Never picked opponents, never pulled out from the fights even when I wasn’t healthy. Never missed weight. I will be champion! You motivated me a lot @Mickmaynard2, thank you.”
He didn’t stop there. “I have more finishes in the UFC than Erceg’s fights, mate,” he continued. And then, “Give me Royval in Manchester. I gonna maul him, you wanna see a finish? Give me this fight! I will finish him.”
Renato Moicano UFC chimed in, “Pantoja literally cleaned the division even before being champion!!!! Erceg got the gold ticket because of it!!!! That been said Pantoja by finish #ufc301.”
Megan Anderson added her two cents, “Another Aussie is coming for the strap!! Huge step up for Astroboy here in just his 4th fight in the promotion – does he have the tools to shut down Pantoja, though?”
Charles “InnerG” Johnson had a different take, “UFC giving Erceg a title fight after two fights in the promotion is brutal to the division. So many guys working their way up and with longer active win streaks / finishes. My only guess I’m assuming Pantoja asked for him. Not saying he can’t win.. but what are rankings for?”
Jake ‘White Kong’ Hadley sided with Mokaev, “You know what I don’t side with @muhammadmokaev often but he should have been next in line IMO.”
Brandon Royval kept it classy, “Erceg looked good his last fight. I’ll be on weight ready to step in if anything happens. If not I’m sitting front row watching my teammates and next fight square off.”
And there you have it. The reactions are in, and they’re as varied as they come. Let’s see how this all plays out.