A little over 15 months ago, Steve Erceg was headlining a pay-per-view and challenging for a UFC world title. This Saturday, \u201cAstroBoy\u201d may be fighting for his job.<\/p>\n
Erceg faces Ode Osbourne in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 109 at the UFC APEX. The 30-year-old enters the bout on a three-fight losing skid, which includes a competitive championship fight loss to Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 301 in May 2024, a knockout loss to two-time title fight competitor Kai Kara-France at UFC 312 three months later, and a decision loss to multi-time champ Brandon Moreno at UFC Mexico in March.<\/p>\n
Despite his very difficult strength of schedule, Erceg believes he could be in a must-win situation, and plans on giving his all this weekend.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, I\u2019m on three losses and I could be fighting for my contract,\u201d Erceg told MMA Fighting. \u201cBut, yeah, I think when you try to overthink and put too much on your plate, it can be detrimental.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I\u2019m going to go out there and I\u2019m going to punch another guy in the face, and if I win, I know I did everything I could to do so. If I [lose], that\u2019s life, unfortunately.\u201d<\/p>\n
Erceg was thrust into his first UFC title fight with unbelievable quickness. The Perth-based flyweight picked up three quick wins, and less than a year with the promotion got the opportunity that most fighters wait their whole careers for.<\/p>\n
There is certainly a vast difference in competition levels from the first three UFC opponents Erceg has faced compared to his most recent trio of opposition. With the latter, valuable lessons have been learned.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, I think the biggest lesson is that I\u2019m the man, I guess,\u201d Erceg explained. \u201cI\u2019ve been looking at these guys like, \u2018Oh, I\u2019m fighting Moreno, I\u2019m fighting Pantoza,\u2019 and then, \u2018Oh, they might know something I don\u2019t know,\u2019 or, \u2018Oh, he\u2019s fought five [rounds]\u2019. I\u2019m thinking of all these things about how great they are, and then I\u2019m not giving myself the credit I deserve, I guess.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, going out there and going, \u2018Oh, I think you\u2019re getting tired,\u2019 and instead of like\u2026 I\u2019ll use an example [to] explain it better: In the Pantoja fight, for instance. The fourth round, I was like, \u2018Oh, I think he\u2019s getting tired. I should start pushing.\u2019 I was like, he\u2019s been in five round fights a lot. Maybe he\u2019s saving something. Maybe I shouldn\u2019t blow my load and risk getting finished over the top of back, whereas now it\u2019ll be like, \u2018No, he is getting tired, screw this guy, let\u2019s break him.\u2019 That\u2019s how I\u2019m trying to look at things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Much like the road Erceg has been on over the past 15 months, getting to UFC Vegas 109 has been bumpy. Originally slated to face fellow past title challenger Alex Perez, Erceg was shifted to a bout with Hyun Sung Park \u2013 who ended up getting shifted to the UFC Vegas 108 main event where he was submitted by Tatsuro Taira, a fight Erceg was offered, but had to turn down.<\/p>\n
Now Erceg faces Osbourne, a dynamic and aggressive fighter with finishing ability. From a stylistic perspective, Erceg feels he couldn\u2019t have asked for a better opponent to get him back on track, and predicts the headlines will read as such.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019ll be something similar to the way people are talking about Taira this week,\u201d Erceg said. \u201cFuture UFC champion in the making, blah blah blah.\u201d<\/p>\n