Nicknamed “Pizza Boy” and likened to The Office's Michael Scott, breakout Australian UFC fighter Steve Arseg is on the verge of becoming the fastest title holder in the company's history.
Despite having only three fights in his UFC career and being ranked No. 10 in the flyweight rankings, Erceg will face Brazilian champion Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 301 in what is being dubbed a “two-man race.” suddenly found himself trapped.
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If Erceg makes the jump to the title fight on May 5th, it would not only be one of the quickest title wins ever, but it would also fulfill a surprising prediction made by Erceg. fox sports australia Shortly before his UFC debut, he said of his shot at gold: “Realistically, I'm thinking of four fights.”
Although nothing has been confirmed by the UFC, Erceg is preparing to fight for the UFC flyweight strap this week after Pantoja recently announced plans to headline UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro. He said that he was completely able to do so.
Even better, the champion is also keen to take on a breakout opponent from Perth who has been in the spotlight since scoring an impressive KO win over American Matt Schnell at UFC Fight Night 238 earlier this month. He added that there is.
According to reports from the United States, the only other challenger currently standing in Erceg's way is Russia's Muhammed Mokayev, but his recent decision victory over Alex Perez, which took place on the same card as Erceg, His nickname was “Astro Boy,'' which was not as impressive as his predecessor.
The Australian's chances have also been helped by a series of unfortunate challenges faced by other contenders higher in the rankings than him, including injuries, losses, concussions and even weight issues.
Although the fight is just seven weeks away, the topic has been a hot topic of discussion in UFC circles, with many commentators and fans suggesting they will give Erceg a chance.
If that happens, it would continue an incredible run for a fighter who has only been in the UFC for nine months.
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If he had fought for and won the gold medal at UFC 301, it would have taken him only 330 days to win the title.
The Australian breakout star is quickly gaining a cult following internationally, with even Pantoja comparing him to actor Steve Carell. Elsewhere, fans have taken to calling the fighter “Pizza Boy” because he looks more like a guy who delivers slices than knockouts.
However, after losing in just the second fight of his professional career in 2017, Erceg has won 11 straight games since then (seven of which were wins), including upsetting David Dvorak in his Octagon debut and winning as a TAB$3.50 outsider. (via Finish), she was crying.
When asked about facing Pantoja at UFC 301, Erceg said: MMA Junkie “I said this week that it’s very early, but I want to win the title as soon as possible.
“I think they're probably going to give it to (Muhammad) Mokaev, even if he performed poorly, just because that's what Pantoja asked for.
“But if they call me, I’m going to step up.
“I'm here to show that I'm the best fighter in the world. So whether it's two days, eight days, five weeks, I'm going to show up and put on a show. ”
However, Pantoja also mentioned the possibility of Erceg.
“Right now I'm 9-0 against everyone in the top 10, but there's going to be some good new names coming into this division,” Champion said in an interview with Sportsnet.
“Who calls that person?!” | 01:21
“Mokaev has a great match with Alex Perez.
“You have Manel Cape, but I have already defeated him.
“We have a player (Elceg) from Australia who is really good.
“He fought Matt Schnell. He looks like Steve Carell.
“He's a good fighter.
“Knocked out Matt Schnell in the first round. He did it in the second. Maybe that would be a good option for the UFC as well.”
talk to fox sports australia After signing with the UFC, Erceg said he was only five fights away from becoming world flyweight champion. This puts him on the fast track to a title that rivals the likes of Brock Lesnar, Anderson Silva, and Israel Adesanya.
But when the Western Australian spoke to us again just days after his debut, and after enduring some unexpected delays due to visa issues, he made a new prediction, And now it looks like it's coming true in an almost impossible way.
Recalling the first time he won the title in five fights, Erceg said with a laugh:
“Realistically, we're looking at four games.
“But I also want it to be three. Win this weekend, fight the top five guys and then get a chance to win the title.
“Originally, my goal was to be a pro by the age of 21, be in the UFC by the age of 25, and be a UFC champion by the age of 27.
“Obviously, the coronavirus pandemic has taken time away from me, as have visa issues.
“But there couldn’t have been a better opportunity to make (Dvorak’s) debut.
“Recently, many people have told me that these setbacks happen for a reason.
“God has a plan.
“And now, not only am I more mature (having debuted in the UFC), but I'm really coming into my own physically.
“Now, I feel like I'm back in time.”
Erceg added that the delay means he will be making his UFC debut at a time when he is ready to “challenge the best fighters right away.”