UFC on ESPN 72 full card final faceoffs
UFC on ESPN 72 final faceoffs took place and the 12-fight card, including Anthony Hernandez vs. Roman Dolidze, had staredowns after conclusion.
Steve Erceg and Ode Osbourne meet in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 72 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
Last event: 4-2
UFC main cards, 2025: 76-58-1
Steve Erceg vs. Ode Osbourne UFC on ESPN 72 preview
Erceg (12-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC) aims to stop the bleeding of a three-fight losing skid. After winning his first three UFC bouts, Erceg fought Alexandre Pantoja for the flyweight title, but came up short by decision. He was then stopped by Kai Kara-France and lost a decision against former champion Brandon Moreno in March. … Osbourne (13-8 MMA, 5-6 UFC) was successful in ending his three-fight losing stretch in April by stopping Luis Gururle, and hopes to keep the momentum going with a big win over Erceg. Osbourne’s three-fight skid came against Asu Almabayev, Jafel Filho and Ronaldo Rodriguez.
Steve Erceg vs. Ode Osbourne UFC on ESPN 72 expert pick, prediction
The co-main event on ESPN features an impromptu fight between two flyweights at bantamweight.
With Steve Erceg’s initial opponent, HyunSung Park, being shifted to last week’s main event, the former title challenger will now face southpaw Ode Osbourne on short notice.
Osbourne, whose recent record is a deceiving one, is coming off an impressive finish over Luis Gurule earlier this year. However, I’m not sure how good of shape Osbourne is in and how that will affect him in the latter rounds (where he traditionally tends to struggle).
Although I could see Osbourne’s southpaw savvy making Erceg uncomfortable early, I have a hard time ignoring the Australian’s inherent edge on the floor.
Add in the fact that the smaller octagon of the Apex will likely encourage grappling entanglements, and I can’t help but side with Erceg to find a submission by the end of Round 2.
Steve Erceg vs. Ode Osbourne UFC on ESPN 72 odds
The oddsmakers and the public are heavily favoring the Australian fighter, listing Erceg -550 and Osbourne +390 via FanDuel.
Steve Erceg vs. Ode Osbourne UFC on ESPN 72 start time, how to watch
As the co-main event, Erceg and Osbourne are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 9:10 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts live on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
