Steve Erceg will fight for the UFC flyweight title in Brazil this week. Photo / UFC
After knocking Matt Schnell out cold to cement his place in the top 10 of the UFC flyweight division in early March, Steve Erceg travelled back home to Perth for some downtime.
It had been an impressive seven months for the 28-year-old, who made his UFC debut last June. Beating then No 10-ranked flyweight David Dvorak as a short-notice replacement in his debut, before a lopsided decision win over Alessandro Costa, the knockout win over Schnell put a stamp on his position in the division.
But it also brought him some unexpected attention.
As he was digging into a well-earned KFC three-piece bucket, Erceg (12-1) got a phone call. The UFC wanted him to fight Brazilian champion Alexandre Pantoja (27-5) in Rio de Janeiro as the headline fight of UFC 301.
“I had to debate whether or not I put the KFC away or I continued eating and, unfortunately, it was too good. I couldn’t get rid of it, so I had to finish it off,” Erceg said.
On Sunday, Erceg will make the walk to the octagon for his fourth UFC fight in less than a year – and one that could see him ascend to the top of his division. He also goes into the bout with a multi-fight extension to his contract with the promotion.
The opportunity is in line with Erceg’s prediction that he could become champion with four UFC wins, which he made prior to his debut last June.
But as has been the story of his short UFC career, Erceg took the opportunity that was presented. His first two bouts were on short notice, while he will be in the rare position of fighting for a belt despite being ranked No 10 in the division.
“When I did get signed, [UFC matchmaker] Mick Maynard made it clear that they’re signing me, but I’ve got to be ready whenever,” Erceg said.
“I said ‘you can call me on a day’s notice if you need to.’ I wanted to make sure I stuck to my word, so I was prepared for this.”
Challenging Pantoja’s throne in Brazil will be a unique experience for Erceg, with the Brazilian crowd known for being a hostile one against opposition fighters.
Last year, when Mexico’s Brandon Moreno beat Brazil’s Deiveson Figueiredo to claim the flyweight title – losing it to Pantoja soon after – he had to run from the cage as the crowd hurled bottles at him.
It’s a position Erceg has considered, and one he would be glad to find himself in.
“I imagine that I’ll be getting yelled at and abused, then definitely after I win, I’ll be walking out with bottles getting thrown at me. That’s how I see it going. It’s going to be a great night,” he said.
Tale of the tape: Erceg | Pantoja
Age: 28 | 34
Record: 12-1 (3-0 UFC) | 27-5 (11-3 UFC)
Reach: 173cm | 171cm
Erceg $2.55 Pantoja $1.53
The UFC 301 early prelims will be live on the UFC’s subscription streaming service, UFC Fight Pass from 10am on Sunday.
The main prelims get underway on Sky Open, ESPN, Sky Sport Now and UFC Fight Pass from 12pm
The main card is available via pay-per-view on Sky Arena, Sky Sport Now and UFC Fight Pass for $44.95 and starts at 2pm.
Flyweight: Alexandre Pantoja [c] v Steve Erceg [10] (five-round title fight)
Bantamweight: Jonathan Martinez [12] v Jose Aldo
Light heavyweight: Anthony Smith [10] v Vitor Petrino
Middleweight: Michel Pereira v Ihor Potieria
Middleweight: Paul Craig [13] v Ciao Borralho [14]
Prelims
Featherweight: Jack Shore v Joanderson Brito
Strawweight: Karolina Kowalkiewicz v Iasmin Lucindo
Lightweight: Elves Brener v Myktybek Orolbai
Featherweight: Jean Silva v William Gomis
Early Prelims
Lightweight: Joaquim Silva v Drakkar Klose
Lightweight: Mauricio Ruffy v Jamie Mullarkey
Flyweight: Dione Barbosa v Ernesta Kareckaite
Lightweight: Ismael Bonfim v Vinc Pichel
Flyweight: Alessandro Costa v Kevin Borjas
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.