UFC 301 play-by-play, live results
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – MAY 03: (L-R) Opponents Alexandre Pantoja of Brazil and Steve Erceg of Australia face off during the UFC 301 ceremonial weigh-in at Farmasi Arena on May 03, 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Alexandre Loureiro/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
UFC 301 takes place Saturday, and you can join us for live play-by-play and official results. UFC 301 (Pay-per-view/ESPN/ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro.
In the main event, flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja (27-5 MMA, 11-3 UFC), a native of Rio, will put his belt on the line for the second time when he takes on Australia’s Steve Erceg (12-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who got a title shot less than a year after he debuted in the promotion.
In the co-feature, former featherweight champ Jose Aldo (31-8 MMA, 13-7 UFC) returns from a short retirement to fight out his UFC contract against Jonathan Martinez (19-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC).
Follow along with our round-by-round updates and official results beginning at approximately 6 p.m. ET for the early prelims on ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET for the prelims on ESPN, and 10 p.m. ET for the main card on pay-per-view (via ESPN+).
Enjoy the fights, everyone.
Kevin Borjas vs. Alessandro Costa
Round 1 – Big one, two by Costa. Another big combo by Costa. Borjas is still marching forward. Leg kick by Costa. Costa closes the distance, briefly clinches and then lands an elbow on the break. Borjas seems a bit gun shy here. Two minutes left. Good defense here by Borjas, as he moves away from a combo from Costa. Borjas is bleeding from his ear. Good jab by Borjas. Oh! Big left stuns Borjas! They’re throwing down. The bell rings.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Costa.
Round 2 – Costa all over Borjas here. Massive leg kicks are hurting Borjas. Costa drops Borjas with a leg kick. Nasty combos by Costa. Borjas is taking a beating here. Costa moves to mount. Nasty ground-and-pound. It’s over! Impressive win by Costa.
Result: Alessandro Costa def. Kevin Borjas via TKO (ground-and-pound) – Round 2, 1:35
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Records: Costa (14-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC), Borjas (9-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Joao Claudio Soares
Ismael Bonfim vs. Vinc Pichel
Round 1 – Pichel with a heavy leg kick attack. Pichel is staying on the outside, looking to land leg kicks. Bonfim with a few of his own. Good jabs by Bonfim. Oh! Nasty body shot by Bonfim. Pichel eats it well. Bonfim is landing big here. Oh! A big head kick partially lands for Bonfim. Pichel is not throwing much. A takedown attempt from Bonfim in the final seconds, but ends on bottom. The bell rings.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Bonfim.
Round 2 – Bonfim attacking immediately. Nice combo from Bonfim! The pace has slowed down a ton here. Low output from both. Jabs by Bonfim. Good one, two by Pichel. A big right lands clean for Bonfim! It looks like Pichel is hurt a bit. Bonfim upping the pressure. Two minutes left. Bonfim backs Pichel to the cage and lands a nasty combo. Great chin on Pichel. A right hook lands for Bonfim. Bonfim loses his balance on a combo and Pichel ends on top. The bell rings almost immediately.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Bonfim.
Round 3 –
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Records: Bonfim (19-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC), Pichel (14-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Mike Beltran
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Dione Barbosa vs. Ernesta Kareckaite
Round 1 –
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Records: Barbosa (6-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Kareckaite (5-0-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Division: Women’s flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
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Jamie Mullarkey vs. Mauricio Ruffy
Round 1 –
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Records: Mullarkey (17-7 MMA, 5-5 UFC), Ruffy (9-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
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Drakkar Klose vs. Joaquim Silva
Round 1 –
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Records: Klose (14-2-1 MMA, 8-2 UFC), Silva (13-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: ESPN
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Elves Brener vs. Myktybek Orolbai
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Records: Brener (16-3 MMA, 3-0 UFC), Orolbai (12-1-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: ESPN
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Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Iasmin Lucindo
Round 1 –
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Records: Kowalkiewicz (16-7 MMA, 9-7 UFC), Lucindo (15-5 MMA, 2-1 UFC)
Division: Women’s flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN
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Judging:
Joanderson Brito vs. Jack Shore
Round 1 –
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Records: Brito (16-3-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC), Shore (17-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: ESPN
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Caio Borralho vs. Paul Craig
Round 1 –
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Records: Borralho (15-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC), Craig (17-7-1 MMA, 9-7-1 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
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Judging:
Michel Pereira vs. Ihor Potieria
Round 1 –
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Records: Pereira (30-11 MMA, 8-2 UFC), Potieria (21-5 MMA, 2-3 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
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Vitor Petrino vs. Anthony Smith
Round 1 –
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Records: Petrino (11-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC), Smith (37-19 MMA, 12-9 UFC)
Division: Light heavyweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
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Jose Aldo vs. Jonathan Martinez
Round 1 –
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Records: Aldo (31-8 MMA, 13-7 UFC), Martinez (19-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
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Judging:
Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg
Round 1 –
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Records: Pantoja (27-5 MMA, 11-3 UFC), Erceg (12-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
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This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 301 play-by-play, live results