Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg full fight video highlights

Watch Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg full fight video highlights from the Pantoja vs. Erceg main event, courtesy of ESPN and other outlets.

Pantoja vs. Erceg took place May 4 at the Farmisa Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja (28-5) faced off against Steve Erceg (12-2) in the night’s much-anticipated main event. The fight aired live on ESPN+ pay-per-view.

Catch Pantoja vs. Erceg video highlights below.

For more on Pantoja vs. Erceg, check out our live blog below.

Round 1

Both men out in orthodox and Pantoja immediately fires. He comes out with a combo and charges in. Erceg defends the first shot and gets to space.

Pantoja rushes in again and Erceg stuffs it. Clinch but Erceg turns and breaks.

Pantoja with a lot early. Low kick and slinging right hand. Erceg holding the center. He looks huge in there against Pantoja and he’s backing the champion around the cage. Pantoja gets clipped stepping in. Pantoja having trouble with the distance.

But Pantoja lands his own good right hand. Then charges in with hooks to the body. Clinch but Erceg shucks it off. The physical advantages are real right now.

Collision and a good knee up the middle from Pantoja. Erceg is calm. He’s cut though and bleeding from the foreheard. Pantoja charges in and lands a right hand. Erceg gets to space. Lands a left. Pantoja low kick. Erceg really backing Pantoja to the fence and then looking to counter when the champion steps in.

But this time they start trading and Pantoja gets to the hip and finishes the takedown!

Erceg has guard. He’s bleeding a lot from the head. He kicks Pantoja off but the champion drives right back on him. Hits a big knee to the body and gets another takedown. Erceg against the fence trying to stand and Pantoja lands some good left hands. Erceg trying to step out and Pantoja drags him back down from the waistlock.

Pantoja is in side control. Erceg trying to escape but doesn’t want to give up the back. Pantoja lands some nice ground and pound! Erceg gets to the fence and to his feet but ate a few good shots there. Standing against the fence and Pantoja drags him back down.

Erceg scrambles nicely and he’s to his feet in space! Just misses a knee before the round ends.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Pantoja.

Round 2

Good round for the champion once he got the grappling going. The question is how will this fight look in deeper waters. Pantoja gets wild as he gets tired. And a replay shows a clash of heads caused the cut on Erceg’s forehead.

OH! Massive right from Pantoja during a weird collision. Erceg at it well but his head snaps right at the start of the round. They ended in a clinch and Pantoja is working on the high-crotch against the fence. He breaks and lands a good knee to the body instead.

Erceg keeps backing him up and he really wants that check hook. Pantoja charges in wildly but lands a right hand. If Erceg had a jab, he would probably be piecing Pantoja up. But he never has had a great one.

And Pantoja punches his way into the clinch and gets a trip to half guard. And then steps into mount! Erceg is a black belt in his own right though and gets out to recompose. Then he explodes out and lands a hook as they stand.

Erceg back on the march. Looping left lands for him as Pantoja circles out. Solid combo and then Erceg ducks in. Pantoja grabs a headlock but bails. Erceg backing him up at will but can’t make the champion pay. Yet.

Good left hook from Erceg as Pantoja fires at him. Pantoja lands a right hook. Erceg lands a good left hook counter. Then a nice elbow! Pantoja getting caught in the between and eats another left as he charges in! Pantoja on the hip but Erceg is able to fight this one off.

And Erceg is right back on the march. He’s gaining confidence. And he’s starting to jab. That set up the first elbow and just set up another one. And a step back right hand.

OH! Big left hook from Erceg as Pantoja stepped in. Pantoja landed his own hook but Erceg is getting the angle and the shot. But Pantoja gets into the body lock and it’s deep. He spins and gets Erceg to the mat but short time and Erceg kicks him off until the horn.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Erceg, 19-19 overall.

Round 3

Pantoja’s team tells him he’s won two rounds but that he cannot back up. Say he needs to come forward more.

Pantoja takes that to heart to start and comes forward but Erceg lands a nice elbow and then a body kick. Pantoja keeps coming in and grabs a clinch. Erceg spins and gets out. Knee to the body from the champion though.

Erceg backing Pantoja up and slips a winging right hand. Exchange of shots to the body. Calf kick from the champion. Erceg jabs. Good uppercut from Erceg but Pantoja lands three hooks to the body.

Pantoja charges off the cage. Combo that Erceg blocks. Rights from each get through. Big right from Pantoja that Erceg slips. He’s slipping well on the inside. Pantoja just yoloing into him though and finding some success. Relentless. And he’s got a clinch. Knee that Goddard says is to the groin of Erceg but he says no and the fight continues. He gets off the fence.

Nice right hand from Pantoja. Erceg landed a left but ate the bigger shot. Erceg to the body but Pantoja landed a 3 piece. He’s punching in combination like Aldo right now. Erceg lands a NASTY elbow that opens him up but Pantoja walks right through it. What a chin on this man.

Oh that could be a tough cut. Pantoja is pouring blood and even covered it up with his own hands. But he does complete a takedown with 60 seconds left. This is a horror movie now. Buckets of blood from the champion.

Erceg scrambling but Pantoja gets the back! Erceg clears one hook and stands. Pantoja lands a few decent shots and drags him back down to end the round.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Erceg, 29-28 Erceg overall.

Round 4

If you want to score that round for Pantoja, it’s not wrong but the cut is nasty and I’m favoring that for damage. Erceg’s corner tells him he’s down three rounds, that he doesn’t need to rush, but that he needs a finish. Interesting.

Erceg on the march and lands a nice right hand. Pantoja looks to be in great shape, he’s not breathing hard at all. Erceg slips and lands. Pantoja showing a jab now. Erceg tries to mix it up with a combination into a trip, but Pantoja steps out of it.

Good right hand from Erceg. Pantoja slowing down a bit. He looks fine but he’s not attacking with his usual abandon. He grabs a clinch but Erceg breaks. Erceg is getting home with the uppercut again. And his jab. Confidence growing.

Pantoja lands a good right. Erceg changes levels and Pantoja defends and rips another right hand. Pantoja really is taking this round off. He’s just backing up, not doing much. Maybe the cut hurt him? He’s so different this round. And Erceg lands a good left hook.

Erceg moving with more urgency. He’s on the hunt. Pantoja returns right. Erceg jabs. And a straight right. Pantoja is bleeding again. That cut is pouring blood everywhere. And Erceg shoots but Pantoja sprawls. Pantoja might actually be trying to coast? This is not a great plan.

Pantoja’s vision is a problem now. Blood is pouring into his eye. And Erceg still working. OOF. Huge uppercut from Erceg lands. Pantoja ate it but god damn. That’s though. Pantoja lands a left just before the bell but that was a risky round for the champion.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Erceg, 39-37 Erceg overall.

Round 5

Pantoja’s corner tells him he’s up 3-1. That is so dangerous. He very likely needs to win this round. Both men looking fresh though. And Erceg’s corner wants a finish. That might be the difference.

And Erceg lands a good left hook. Pantoja attacking more to start though. Erceg lands another hook and then gets a nice double-leg as Pantoja steps in. Clean finish but Pantoja kicks him off and now Pantoja re-shoots and he gets the takedown. Erceg along the fence and Pantoja has the waist. Erceg trying to stand and get out and does. Pantoja still has that waistlock.

Erceg viciously grabbing the fence. Goddard doesn’t see it. Pantoja still trying to drag him back. No offense from either side and Pantoja finally drags him back but Erceg is high and scrambles to space. well done.

3 minutes to go and Pantoja is bleeding right down the forehead and into the eyes. Erceg backing him up and lands another uppercut. Pantoja left hook. Erceg goes head kick but Pantoja blocks.

Good combo from the champion to back Erceg off. Good showing. Hook to the body for the champion but NASTY elbow from Erceg opens Pantoja up again. Pantoja lands a good left hook. He’s putting it on the line now. 90 seconds.

Pantoja steps in and Erceg shoots a double. Clean entry and turns but Pantoja immediately rolls through, attacks the leg and reverses. Sick grappling and Pantoja is on top half. Erceg trying to scramble but Pantoja fighting through it. He’s looking to pass to mount with 30 seconds left.

Erceg moves but Pantoja gets to half. Erceg gives up his back and then has to give mount instead. Pantoja hustling from the top and he stands as the fight ends. Terrific fight.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Pantoja, 48-47 Erceg overall.