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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.
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."
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
Continue reading...
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.
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."
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
Continue reading...
