When Steve Erceg stepped into the Octagon at Farmací Arena in Rio de Janeiro on May 4, he wasn’t just a surprise to most — he was a near-unknown name among UFC fans.
Erceg, ranked 10th in the flyweight division at the time, faced champion Alexandre Pantoja in his fourth UFC bout.
Although Erceg lost a decision to Pantoja, he was encouraged by his performance in fighting a full round for the first time in his career.
“I showed everybody that I’m not going to flinch, despite the obvious pressure,” Erceg, 29, told The Post. “It seemed like it was too early or some other nonsense, but it probably wasn’t. I’m going to be a favorite and one day I’m going to be a champion.”
With his first title fight behind him, Erceg is now focused on his next opponent, No. 4-ranked flyweight Kai Kara-France, who he faces on Saturday at UFC 305 in his hometown of Perth, Australia.
After suffering just the second defeat of his career and his first since 2017, Erceg is feeling added tension in camp.
“When things aren’t going well, you get a little harder on yourself,” said Erceg, who is currently the division’s No. 7 ranked prospect. “There’s a little bit more urgency to get things going and get better.”
After fighting twice in three months, Erceg now has more time to prepare for his clash with the New Zealander, but he doesn’t like waiting.
“I understand it’s good to give your body time to rest, but at the same time, we train our whole lives to compete,” Erceg said. “There’s no reason to turn down a last-minute opportunity or a last-minute change. That’s my source of income. That’s what I love. I love getting in the cage with other guys and finding out who’s stronger. So why would I say, ‘Oh, no, I need six months every time, because I need a full camp’? I’m always training. Who cares?”
Erceg will compete as one half of the co-main event on a card headlined by a middleweight title fight between Israel Adesanya and Dorricus du Plessis, both of whom are no strangers to harsh words and boasting.
But the unassuming Erceg prefers to keep quiet, especially since he teaches mixed martial arts at his gym.
“I think some people swear because they feel they have to, and that’s very embarrassing and uncomfortable,” Erceg said. “Yeah, I can go up there and swear. I don’t think that’s necessarily me. I don’t understand swearing at people and calling them all kinds of names and then going up to little Billy and saying, ‘Yeah, yeah, but you shouldn’t swear.’ I try to be a good role model for them.”
Instead, Erceg takes a more subdued approach, embracing his similarities to “The Office”‘s Michael Scott (Steve Carell).
“I think the show is great,” Erceg says, “I get that people are comparing me to Steve Carell. I like to joke around. If it’s making fun of me, I don’t really care. All the memes that are going around are so funny.”
Rather than teasing, the RAC Arena will greet Erceg with rapturous applause as he fights in Australia for the first time as a UFC fighter.
“It’s a dream come true,” Erceg said. “I’m going to go out on the court and hear the roar of the home crowd. I’m going to go out on the court, do my job and soak up the atmosphere.”
Erceg won’t miss the fight against Kara-France, but he has his sights set on a rematch against Pantoja or the new champion in the future.
“The division is so full of tough competitors right now, there’s a good chance someone will come along and take the championship before I get there,” Erceg said. “Maybe. [if] I beat Kai, but I still have one or two more fights to get another chance at a title fight.”
Whatever the outcome on Saturday, Erceg will be looking to prove he is the best among his peers and gain even more respect in the process.
“Not only do I want to be champion, I want to be the toughest man in the division,” Erceg said. “Becoming champion is my main goal, but it’s pointless if I dodge everyone. Some people look at the flyweight division and think, ‘Steve is definitely the best fighter in the division,’ and no one says, ‘But Amir Albazi isn’t.’ I’ve beaten everyone. I’m the toughest man, and I want to prove it by fighting everyone.”
