The next member of a growing contingent of Australian fighters in the UFC made his promotional debut this weekend with Steve Erceg putting his name in lights with a victory against David Dvorak at UFC 289.
Erceg ijumped into the deep end at flyweight, taking on the 10th ranked Dvorak in what could hopefully now be an express route to the upper echelons of the division.
Will Erceg become the latest Aussie to make a splash on the international MMA scene?
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Here's what you need to know:
Who is Steve Erceg?
Steve Erceg is a 27-year-old mixed martial artist from Perth, Western Australia.
Signed to the UFC in February this year, Erceg made his debut at UFC 289 in Vancouver against Czech fighter David Dvorak, the 10th ranked flyweight.
Erceg is currently 10-1 as a professional, having won nine in a row since losing his second bout.
A submission and grappling specialist, Erceg defeated Shannon Ross to claim the Eternal MMA flyweight title in 2020 before defending the belt three times.
Erceg was set for a shot on the Contender Series last year but visa issues prevented his entry into the United States.
Not to be deterred, the Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt kept defending his Eternal MMA title and took his opportunity in the UFC.
"It's a dream come true to be signed to the UFC," Erceg said at the time.
"It's taken a lot of sacrifice and dedication to get here. This is just the first step along the way to reaching that UFC gold."
Erceg will be hoping to emulate the success of fellow Perth product Jack Della Maddalena, who overcame a slow start to his professional career and is now making waves in the UFC.
Steve Erceg record and bio
- Nationality: Australian
- Nickname: AstroBoy
- Born: July 27, 1996
- Height: 5'9" (174cm)
- Reach: 68.5" (174cm)
- Total fights: 11
- Record: 10-1 with seven wins by stoppage (6 submissions, 1 knockout)