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Ariel Helwani Defends UFC Against Backlash To Brazil Lineup: 'If You Want A Stacked UFC 300 Card...'

Originally posted on MMA News | By Harvey Leonard | Last updated 3/19/24

Renowned combat sports reporter Ariel Helwani thinks the MMA community needs to cut the UFC some slack when it comes to the promotion's upcoming return to Brazil.

Since the turn of the year, much of the attention form pundits and fans has been on the milestone UFC 300 event set for Las Vegas next month. Be it praise or scrutiny, the April 13 lineup has remained a prominent discussion.

With all the fights now confirmed, focus has seemingly turned to the subsequent pay-per-view, which will see the organization return to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for UFC 301.

Given Alex Pereira's place atop the previous PPV slate, the promotion has looked to Alexandre Pantoja as the card's Brazilian champ, with the flyweight titleholder set to defend his gold against a low-profile opponent in Steve Erceg.

That announcement brought out plenty of criticism online, but one prominent MMA personality who has had his fair share of issues with the UFC recently came to the promotion's defense...

Helwani Tells UFC 301 Critics: 'This Is The By-Product Of 300!'

During a recent episode of The MMA Hour, host Helwani reacted to the backlash directed at the promotion after the UFC 301 lineup began to take shape.

While a main event is yet to be confirmed, Pantoja's title defense against Erceg could top proceedings at the Jeunesse Arena. Should that be the case, Helwani thinks criticism of the UFC is unfair given that the same voices who give the promotion flak were also calling for the UFC 300 card to be stacked from top to bottom.

"I think the reaction (to Pantoja vs. Erceg) was a little much. Would it have made that big of a difference if it was Mokaev vs. Pantoja? ... Erceg's coming off a more impressive win," Helwani said. "If you are just being sensible about it all... there isn't anything else.

"If you want a stacked UFC 300 card on April 13 — and that's what you all wanted — this is the by-product," Helwani continued. "My point is, if you want to stack the deck, if you want 300 to be what everyone wanted it to be — and that's the greatest card of all time, etc., etc., etc. — there's always the other side of the coin... There's always gonna be one somewhat thinner card. Honestly, I see a lot of people belly-aching. I would bet that 90 percent of people belly-aching online don't live in Rio, weren't planning to go to this event in Rio, so what are you complaining about? That this is a pay-per-view? Don't buy it... I think the UFC, honestly, needs to be cut a bit of slack here."

Evidently, the recent revelation that legendary former featherweight champion José Aldo will be returning from retirement for a home fight at UFC 301 hasn't done enough to turn the narrative, much of which surrounds criticism of the promotion's long-term planning — or perceived lack thereof.

Nevertheless, following some stacked cards, plenty have acknowledged that an absence of available options makes a card like 301 inevitable. And those set to compete on May 4 will no doubt look to still deliver the goods when it comes to the action inside the cage.