Demetrious Johnson is not sold on UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja.
Pantoja (28-5 MMA, 12-3 UFC) retained his flyweight title by outlasting Steve Erceg in Saturday’s UFC 301 main event at Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro.
Johnson thinks Erceg (12-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) leant too much into Pantoja’s game which cost him.
“He literally just gave the fight away by trying to wrestle a guy who can’t box,” Johnson said on his YouTube channel. “This is the biggest thing: I think it just comes from experience for Erceg, just not having experience of finishing someone when you know you’re beating the hell out of them.
“End of the fight, great fight. I think Erceg gave that fight to Pantoja. I think if Erceg would have stepped behind his jab, stop f*cking wrestling him, he would have been fine.”
Johnson thinks Erceg inflicted more damage than Pantoja, who was sliced open courtesy of an elbow by the Aussie. After watching the fight, former longtime UFC flyweight champion Johnson didn’t see Pantoja as a step above Erceg as a fighter.
“I was impressed by Steve Erceg,” Johnson said. “I honestly thought Alex Pantoja was going to get his back and finish him. Steve Erceg was the better striker. He did way more damage in that fight against Alex Pantoja. I think Steve Erceg just didn’t get going a lot sooner. I felt like he made some bad decisions in the fight. … Steve Erceg was destroying Alex Pantoja on the feet. Alex Pantoja was bloodied up.
“Yes, Steve was getting hit, but those shots weren’t significant enough to make Steve worry about his standup. Then Steve would shoot a double leg against the better grappler, the better scrambler. That’s what I felt allowed Alex Pantoja to stay in the fight and win the fight. When I was watching the fight, I didn’t feel like Alex Pantoja was a better fighter. He’s the champ. His grappling is his strongest suit. But if you keep him away from his grappling, you can take advantage of him.”
Johnson pointed to recent UFC flyweight champions Deiveson Figueiredo and Henry Cejudo as more impressive fighters than Pantoja during their run.
“When I look at the past champions, when I look at Figueiredo – absolute amazing champion,” Johnson said. “(He had) power, great athleticism. When I look at Henry Cejudo, he would move, and move so good, he’s finishing people.
“And when I look at myself, I was moving, finishing people. And then when I look at Pantoja, it’s almost like he’s getting through the fight. He’s not excelling through the fight. It’s not like he’s getting stronger as the fight goes on.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 301.