UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja ne Saturday ko UFC 301 ke main event mein Australian challenger Steve Erceg ko maat karke 125lb title ko apne paas hi rakha.

Ladai se pehle, UFC fanbase mein aur kuch UFC flyweights ke beech kafi hairani thi ki rank 10 par sthit Steve Erceg ko title shot mila.

Alexandre Pantoja ne 125lb division ke adhikansh fighters ko hara kar keval kuch naye matchups ke liye jagah chhodi thi.

‘‘Astroboy’ Erceg teen ladaiyon ka streak lekar ladai mein aaya, jinke beech unhone apna UFC debut sirf pichle saal kiya tha.

Alexandre Pantoja ne panch round ki jung ke baad Steve Erceg ko muqabla karke kareeb se maat di.

Is main event ne Pantoja ke saath uske saat saal ke UFC kaaryakal mein pehli baar ‘The Cannibal’ ko uske ghar ke desh ke fans ke samne ladai karne ka mauka diya.

Poori raat bhar crowd mein urja ki seema kam lag rahi thi aur Rio de Janeiro ke Farmsi Arena mein maujud fans apne aam taur par nahi the, arena mein bikheri gayi khali seats ko notice kiya jaa raha tha.

Haalanki, Alexandre Pantoja ko ladai ke dauraan urja ki kami ko apne par asar nahi hone diya, aur yeh champion apni pehli round mein tezi se aaye, prasiddh Pantoja dhang mein.

34 saal ke is shandar pehle round ke bawjood, doosre round mein Australian apna stand banana shuru kiya aur ladai ka pace thoda badha, apne haathon se kuch bhaari shots maar kar.

Pehle do rounds kafi nazdeek the, round teen mein, 28 saal ke challenger ne Pantoja ko kai tez elbows se kaat diya, jiske baad yeh lagta tha ke Erceg ke liye round teen kauntha ho sakta hai.