UFC 301 live results: updates, highlights, odds, analysis as Alexandre Pantoja takes on Steve Erceg

It’s been three weeks since UFC 300’s stellar card shook the mixed martial arts world and left many believing it was the best night of professional fighting ever. UFC 301 is not that. But again, no card will measure up to this now-legendary event, so we’ll take what we can get. And if this sport has taught us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected, especially when a fight card doesn’t look that good on paper.

Saturday’s UFC action will take place at the Rio Arena in Rio de Janeiro, headlined by one of Brazil’s best, as champion Alexandre Pantoja looks to defend his flyweight belt against relative UFC newcomer Steve Erceg. The title fight is not an issue for Pantoja, who was born and raised in Rio, with Erceg coming in as a +165 underdog and riding an 11-fight win streak. The King of Rio José Aldo also returns to the Octagon after a 21-month “retirement” to face the dangerous Jonathan Martinez in the co-main event.

A cast of heavy Brazilian favorites (at least according to the oddsmakers) fills out the remainder of the pay-per-view portion of Saturday’s card. UFC veteran and former light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith is a 4-1 underdog in his fight against newcomer Vitor Petrino, who is undefeated at 11-0 with 4 UFC wins since his debut in March 2023 with the promotion. Two middleweight scraps open the main card, with the electric Michel Pereira facing Ukrainian Ihor Potieria after submission specialist Paul Craig faces Caio Borralho in the opening of the main card.

Follow all the action right here on Yahoo Sports with our live blog below, where we’ll share all the latest results and highlights from across the entire card.

UFC 301main card (start time 10pm ET, ESPN+PPV)

All odds via BetMGM.

• Flyweight Champion: Alexandre Pantoja (-200) vs. Steve Erceg (+165)
• Bantamweight: José Aldo (+135) vs. Jonathan Martinez (-165)
• Light heavyweight: Anthony Smith (+400) vs. Vitor Petrino (-550)
• Middleweight: Michel Pereira (-450) x Ihor Potieria (+325)
• Middleweight: Paul Craig (+340) x Caio Borralho (-450)

UFC 301 Prelims Odds (start time 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN+)

• Featherweight: Joanderson Brito (-165) vs. Jack Shore (+140)
• Women’s strawweight: Karolina Kowalkiewicz (+260) vs. Iasmin Lucindo (-350)
• Light: Elves Brener (+200) vs. Myktybek Orolbai (-250)
• Featherweight: Jean Silva (-165) x William Gomis (+140)

UFC 301 Prelims Odds (Start Time 6 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

• Lightweight: Joaquim Silva (+135) x Drakkar Klose (-160)
• Lightweight: Mauricio Ruffy (-155) vs. Jamie Mullarkey (+140)
• Women’s flyweight: Dione Barbosa (-210) vs. Ernesta Kareckaite (+175)
• Lightweight: Ismael Bonfim (-500) x Vinc Pachel (+360)
• Flyweight: Alessandro Costa (-140) vs. Kevin Borjas (+115)