![Alexandre Pantoja (left) to defend his title against Steve Erceg (right) at UFC 301 [Images courtesy of @ufc_brazil on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/03/a8333-17105656931886-1920.jpg)
![Alexandre Pantoja (left) to defend his title against Steve Erceg (right) at UFC 301 [Images courtesy of @ufc_brazil on Instagram]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Alexandre Pantoja will defend his flyweight title against Steve Erceg on May 4 at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. However, a UFC champion seems confused by Erceg being granted a crack at the 125-pound title.
Earlier this evening, MMA journalist Ariel Helwani posted the news of the fight announcement on X, prompting a one-word response from the reigning UFC bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley. 'Sugar' wrote:
"Who"
'Astro Boy' is 3-0 in the UFC and most recently clinched a second-round KO over Matt Schnell at UFC Fight Night 238. While the 28-year-old has fared well in the promotion so far, his most notable win is against Schnell, who is currently ranked No.11. Hence, one could argue that there are fighters who deserve a title opportunity more than the Australian.
Catch Steve Erceg KO Matt Schnell below:
For context, the undefeated Russian-born Englishman Muhammad Mokaev is 6-0 in the UFC and has finished all but two of those fights. Moreover, his most recent two wins were against top-10 opposition.
Similarly, many in the MMA community believed Brandon Royval would get his second shot at the belt after his split-decision win against Brandon Moreno at UFC Fight Night 237. He is 4-1 in his last five and holds wins against the likes of Kai Kara-France, Tim Elliott, and Matheus Nicolau, among others.
Even the No.3-ranked Amir Albazi has a more extensive resume in the octagon, with a promotional record of 5-0. In his most recent fight at UFC on ESPN 46, he claimed a split-decision win over the dangerous Kara-France.
Muhammad Mokaev blasts the UFC for granting Steve Erceg title shot
Muhammad Mokaev has been tearing up the flyweight division in recent times and is distraught with the UFC's decision to grant Steve Erceg the title shot ahead of him.
Earlier today, the 23-year-old took to X and lamented at losing out on the opportunity to fight for the 125-pound gold:
"TF UFC Just done? I have the second active active winning streak in MMA flyweight history! InshaAllah, I will take this belt soon."
Further down in his comments section, the fighter reminded his fans that he has more finishes than Erceg has fought in the UFC.
