UFC 301: Pantoja vs. Erceg

The official Tapology discussion thread for the event!

I had no idea Horiguchi wanted to compete in the UFC again. I really hope that happens, him against Pantoja is an awesome matchup. 

And if fighters are returning, DJ vs. CCC at 135 interest me much more than CCC vs. Moreno. Even if the latter is at the Sphere on Mexican Independence Day. 

Elves Brener vs Myktybek Orolbai added

Damn, like always They are not giving Brener any easy lay ups

Dude is gonna have to fight killers all the way to the Rankings it seems.  

Brito vs. Shore
Joanderson Brito, TKO, R2
FOTN++

Brener vs. Orolbai
Elves Brener, TKO, R2
Elves is in the building!

Brener is moving up to fight Oralbai at 170? Or is that a TAPOLOGY error?

Yeah odd he just fought a "ww" at 165 now he is fight at 170.

I really hope they don't give Royval the next title shot again. It would be such an uninteresting fight, and we need to break the flyweight title rematch cycle. 

Orolbai vs Brener is at 155

Brener vs. Orolbai
Elves Brener, DEC
close close decision

Nicolau and Moicano are two more ranked Brazilians that have been booked for other cards so genuinely have no idea how this cards going to look.

It’s gonna be mostly comprised of dwcs talent im sure 

What do you think the main and co-main could be for this card? Did I read correctly that Aldo might be coming back?

Yeah aldo vs Cruz is in the works for this card but Cruz doesn’t want to fight in Brazil so they might give Aldo someone else. If it does get done I’ve heard it will be the co-main event 

Main event will be Pantoja vs Erceg/mokaev. He did some interviews before 299 and was saying those two are going to be the next opponent and there will be a fight announcement soon. They’ll probably give it to mokaev imo

* Edited at 03.10.2024, 11:44 AM ET *

Very interesting. Flyweights typically don't headline PPV's. Don't think we've had one since the first Moreno/Figgy fight. I think Mokaev has earned a title shot but I also could see the UFC wanting to give him a 5 round main event first. Him vs. Royval on that Saudi card could be a #1 contender fight. I think a win for either guy earns them a title shot. If Royval can beat Moreno and Mokaev back to back I think you have to give him another shot. Then again, Mokaev vs. Pantoja should be a stylistically very entertaining matchup that's worthy of a 5 round main event. Lots of good scrambles. If Mokaev can pull it off then you can still do him vs. Royval and it's not another rematch. They need something to headline this card and Pantoja wants to fight, so it might as well be Mokaev. I mean, why else is there a top 15 ranking system if it isn't about knowing who the next man up is? 

Only way I don't see Pantoja headlining this card is if Poatan is available, which just seems extremely unlikely, but who knows. If he finds a way to steamroll Hill and not take any damage there's no way he's not fighting Ankalaev on this card. Hard to envision him winning and not taking much damage but the fact that we've already seen Paul freaking Craig technically accomplish the same feat definitely causes me to pause. A double title fight headliner of Poatan/Ankalaev and Pantoja/Mokaev would be incredible. 

Would Aldo maybe fight somebody like Jonathan Martinez? Striker vs. Striker so a good stylistic matchup and a win all but certainly puts Aldo back into the top 10. 

Nah i think they’re trying to give Aldo a proper send off in Brazil since he didn’t get the chance to retire against merab. They’ll probably give him another legend if Cruz can’t fight (no clue who tho). I don’t see him fighting a prospect 

* Edited at 03.10.2024, 12:21 PM ET *

@AyyLmaonnaise 

. If they can't get Cruz to do it by throwing a bag at him then I would love to see Aldo return to featherweight for his final fight against Edson Barboza.

I wasn't sure what that status around Aldo was exactly. He's 37 but his last fight against Merab has aged pretty well considering he couldn't be taken down in that fight.  If he's just coming back for a more proper send off, I think him vs. Barbosa would be insanely fun. 

Aldo Edson in Brazil would be legendary!

 Main Event: Alejandre Pantoja (C) vs Amir Albazi (3)
Co-Main: Paulo Costa (8) vs Khamzat Chimaev (5) (5 Rounds)
Card: Juilianna Pena (1) vs Mayra Bueno Silva (2)
Card: Edson Barboza (11) vs Cub Swanson (12)
Card: Paul Craig (14) vs Caio Boralhio (15) 

I'd like Rinat vs ZDS 2