The UFC is set to return to Brazil on Saturday, headlined by Alexandre Pantoja defending his UFC Men’s Flyweight title against Steve Erceg in the main event. Additionally, UFC legend Jose Aldo will take on Jonathan Martinez in the co-main event, making for an exciting night of fights for Brazilian fans.
The entire card features a mix of Brazilian fighters, with the main card starting at 10 PM ET on ESPN+ PPV. In addition to the title fight, fans can look forward to matchups such as Anthony Smith vs. Vitor Petrino in the Light Heavyweight division and Paul Craig vs. Caio Borralho in the Middleweight division. The undercard will kick off at 8 PM ET on ESPN2 and ESPN+, followed by early prelims at 6 PM ET on UFC Fight Pass.
Pantoja is looking to further solidify his position as a dominant champion by cleaning out the flyweight division. With a five-fight win streak and no losses in almost four years, Pantoja has faced and defeated some of the top fighters in the division, with his only losses coming to Deiveson Figueiredo and Askar Askarov. A win against Erceg would mark his second successful title defense after a tough victory over Brandon Moreno.
Erceg, on the other hand, has had a rapid rise to a championship opportunity despite being ranked No. 10 at 125 pounds and having only three fights in the UFC. With wins over David Dvořák, Alessandro Costa, and a KO victory over Matt Schnell, Erceg is now one win away from becoming a UFC champion. Facing a tough opponent like Pantoja, Erceg is considered an underdog but could potentially pull off a significant upset.
In the co-main event, Jose Aldo makes a return to the octagon against Jonathan Martinez in what could potentially be his last fight on his current UFC contract. Originally scheduled to face Dominick Cruz, Aldo will now take on the rising prospect Martinez in a highly anticipated matchup. Brazilian fighters Caio Borralho and Michel Pereira will also be in action, looking to showcase their skills and potentially earn main event spots in the future.
Fight fans can expect an action-packed night of fights with a mix of established champions and rising stars competing on the card. With a strong lineup of Brazilian fighters and exciting matchups, the UFC event in Brazil promises to deliver plenty of entertainment for MMA enthusiasts. Stay tuned for more fight week updates and coverage leading up to the pay-per-view event on Saturday.
