Pantoja vs Erceg thoughts

[FreedomCricket]

Erceg did way more damage and landed the more significant strikes.

All Pantoja has is control time. If this fight wasn't in Brazil, pantoja loses a decision.

 

[CashMoney1991]

Good call man. This was a win for Erceg and the flyweight division as a whole.

Unlike the Brazilian fans, Pentoja and Erceg showed up and represented themselves extremely well. Erceg proved that even though he was only ranked #10, has only been in the UFC for less than a year, etc he is a champion level fighter. We also saw that lack of experience at the top level be a major factor in the outcome of the fight.

But considering Erceg is only 27, I think it is safe to say we just saw the future champion of the division that could very well stay there for quite a while.

I agree I can't remember the last time a fighter's stock went up after an L

 

[MarleyLynx]

I thought Erceg did very well and dropped the fight in the 5th. I had 2-2 going into R5 but Pantoja made sure the upset didn't happen. I think Erceg stock went way up after that.

 

[Street Bishop]

Pantoja's clinch game was quite atrocious. As much as the division has evolved DJ is still levels above these guys.

 

[achoo42]

I really don't think his wrestling is inadequate Pantoja is champion because he's the best at holding position in the UFC, there's no other flyweight graplers who do that to Steve. Maybe Taira but he's untested.

Not even Mighty Mouse was holding down flyweights the way Pantoja was. I think Erceg probably has adequate if not excellent grappling, most of his wins are by submission after all.

 

[RonDante]

I agree that Ercegs performance was a pleasant surprise, he really made the most of the title shot.


That being said, any bozo who scored that fight for Erceg has no business watching MMA. They need to take their limited attention span and go watch YouTuber boxing or something.

How did pantoja win the 5th round

 

[Fact Checker]

How did pantoja win the 5th round

By landing more strikes, takedowns, and racking up control time on Erceg.


It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see how Pantoja won that. Erceg himself wasn’t so bright trying to force grappling exchanges against a premium MMA grappler.

 

[NicholasJBasile]

I scored it comfortably for Pantoja but Erceg may be the future of the division. His scrambling and ability to stand up really impressed me. I already knew his striking was top tier, but he was more dynamic than I thought he would be. What he did as well without 5 round experience really impressed me; also seems like a very nice guy and humble as well. He was quoted after the fight saying that he felt he could've been down 3-1 going into the 5th which shows a lot of self awareness in my opinion.

 

[RonDante]

By landing more strikes, takedowns, and racking up control time on Erceg.


It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see how Pantoja won that. Erceg himself wasn’t so bright trying to force grappling exchanges against a premium MMA grappler.

He didn’t land more strikes.

Regardless of what you think of his light medium heavy system, you can clearly see in the weasle video that erceg landed more total strikes in the 5th round than pantoja

And those strikes include much more damaging shots like the one that cut him open in the 5th

Pantoja only had 1 credited takedown in the 5th round

Control time isn’t in the judging criteria so it’s completely irrelevant to scoring

ercegs effective striking had more impact than Pantojas ineffective grappling that didn’t lead to anything close to a submission

Theres no way you give pantoja the 5th if you’re using the judging criteria, which were supposed to do

 

[CashMoney1991]

I scored it comfortably for Pantoja but Erceg may be the future of the division. His scrambling and ability to stand up really impressed me. I already knew his striking was top tier, but he was more dynamic than I thought he would be. What he did as well without 5 round experience really impressed me; also seems like a very nice guy and humble as well. He was quoted after the fight saying that he felt he could've been down 3-1 going into the 5th which shows a lot of self awareness in my opinion.

I think he has a good future ahead of him, you can tell by his facial expressions that he knew the judges were not going to award him the W, you HAVE to decisively beat the champ to become the champ, he didn't do that, but I would LOVE a rematch down the road, if he can improve his grappling, he will have that belt

 

[jeff7b9]

I scored it 49-48 Pantoja winning rounds 1, 2 and 5

So you had multiple 10-10 rounds?

That's pretty exotic sir.

Like bumping into a unicorn in the wild on your way home from bumping into a unicorn in the wild.

 

[Sasha]

not 49-48, which I think isn't impossible anyway.

There's a secret bonus point awarded to fighters who say "hey, you smell really good tonight" to the ref, but no one is aware of this (except Cruz, but he fumbled when he tried it) so, yeah....

 

[The_Renaissance]

Erceg proved he belongs at the top but clearly lost, he's also such a dork.