Robert Whittaker may have wanted Steve Erceg to win UFC gold, but he doesn’t agree with the notion that he was robbed against Alexandre Pantoja.
Erceg sent a clear message despite the defeat in the main event of UFC 301. Going into his UFC Flyweight Championship bout against Pantoja, Erceg was the number 10-ranked 125-pounder in the UFC. After Saturday night, he figures to get a nice boost since he came close to defeating the champion. In the end, Pantoja came through when it mattered the most, gaining control of the challenger in the final frame to seal a unanimous decision win.
While some fans believe Erceg was robbed of a title win, Whittaker doesn’t see it that way.
RELATED: STEVE ERCEG REACTS TO UFC 301 LOSS AGAINST ALEXANDRE PANTOJA: “I JUST BLEW IT”
Robert Whittaker Dismisses Notion That Steve Erceg Was Robbed At UFC 301
During an episode of the MMArcade Podcast, Robert Whittaker weighed in on the Pantoja vs. Erceg fight result. The former UFC Middleweight Champion said he doesn’t see anything controversial about the outcome (h/t Bloody Elbow).
“We’re Australians, I wanted to see Steve get that title and bring it back, but I don’t know how much of this ‘controversy’ I can look into because I thought Pantoja did enough to win.”
Whittaker went on to share how he was scoring the fight and why Erceg wasn’t able to impress the judges enough to sway things in his favor.
“Personally, I had Pantoja winning the first three [rounds], I thought four went to Erceg and I think five could have been either way,” Whittaker said. “The way Steve finished [the fight] was kind of bad – you never want to finish on your back.”
Erceg looked quite disappointed in himself after the fight, but he figures to be at the top of the heap in the flyweight division. Time will tell who he is matched up with next.
