The UFC returns to Brazil on Saturday, May 4, 2024 for UFC 301, with a flyweight title fight topping the card in the promotion’s first PPV since the milestone UFC 300 last month.
With just one event in between, the rather dull UFC Vegas 91, there was still something of a post-300 hangover ongoing for many fight fans. UFC 301 wasn’t what you would call a loaded card, and the flyweight main event was paired up with the return of Jose Aldo- not against another former champ in Dominick Cruz, but rather opposite surging bantamweight Jonathan Martinez. A much higher-risk fight for the featherweight great, but one offering a much higher reward as well.
Aldo, of course, had been dabbling in boxing since ending his UFC career. Martinez was winner of six straight, a run that included two leg-kick TKOs.
Our picks are in for UFC 301! Check below for who we see coming out ahead on the PPV event’s main card.
| Writer/Fight | Craig vs. Borralho | Pereira vs. Potieria | Smith vs. Petrino | Aldo vs. Martinez | Pantoja vs. Erceg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jay Anderson (54-26) |  |  |  |  |  |
| Cade Morehouse (35-22) |  | | | |  |
| Eddie Law (48-31) | | | |  | |
| Alex Behunin (47-33) | | |  | | |
| Jamie Theodosi (44-31) | | | | | |
| Val Dewar (40-34) | | | | | |
| Patrick McCorry (42-37) | | | | | |
| Chris Prawdzik (41-38) | | | | | |
There was just one unanimous selection for our team at UFC 301. That was Michel “Demolidor” Pereira, who was originally booked against Makhmud Muradov. With Muradov out, Ihor Potieria was moved from a June match-up with Sharabutdin Magomedov. New oppoent, less prep time – the thought process here is pretty blatantly obvious.
Only one writer sees Paul Craig getting the job done against Caio Borralho in the main card opener, however, making that a near-sweep. Scotland’s Craig is looking for his first win in Brazil. Likewise, just one writer favors Anthony Smith over Vitor Petrino.
The return of Jose Aldo might tug at the heart strings and play up the nostalgia factor, but it hand our writers divided on a return to form for Aldo opposite Jonathan Martinez. Aldo’s heyday at featherweight is long since removed, and his run at 135lbs, though decent, has never had the same sort of magic.
Our crew was divided on the UFC 301 main event as well, though the needle stuck in the middle between champ Alexandre Pantoja and Steve Erceg.
