Steve Erceg isn’t expecting a rush back into another title shot.
In just his fourth UFC fight, Erceg (14-4 MMA, 5-3 UFC), who was riding an 11-fight winning streak, found himself sharing the octagon with then-champion Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 301. He ended up losing on the scorecards, but that was just the beginning of a rough stretch.
Advertisement
Erceg went on to lose his next two fights. He was finished in the first round by perennial top contender Kai Kara-France, and then lost a decision against former champion Brandon Moreno. On a three-fight skid, Erceg was in a bad spot, but got on track with back-to-back wins over Ode Osbourne and Tim Elliott. The losses were a learning period, one he’s glad to have worked his way through.
“I’ve learned a lot about myself,” Erceg told UFC.com. “I’ve improved lots. Just the access to the competition I have has just skyrocketed my development. So, I’m excited to see what another 10 years in the company can do. … The biggest improvements have come with the way I’m mixing everything up, just the different styles all together. I’m not getting focused on one thing. I feel like I’m really becoming a mixed martial artist, not a boxer, or a jiu-jitsu guy.”
In the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 282, which takes place at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, Erceg faces Ramazan Temirov. Erceg is aware of the dangers Temirov (19-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) brings to the octagon, but believes he’ll be able to excell in the later rounds.
“He obviously hits really hard, he’s quite quick, and he’s aggressive,” Erceg said. “So, I need to traverse the waters, and the longer it goes, the better it is for me. So, yeah – take him into deep waters and try to drown him.”
Advertisement
A win here will make three in a row for Erceg, but he’s not expecting a title shot, nor a No. 1 contender fight next. If his path to another title shot is a longer one, that’s fine for “Astroboy.”
“Getting a win validates the stuff that I’ve been doing,” Erceg said. “Shows everybody else that I’m still here, and as far as the title, yeah, it’s a step closer. I think there’s a few more fights to go before I’m in that position, but I really want to earn everything I get, so I’m looking forward to the journey.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Steve Erceg embracing journey toward another UFC flyweight title shot
