Steve Erceg knows what it feels like to stand on the doorstep of UFC greatness, and what it feels like to watch it slip away.
After a title shot, three straight defeats and questions over whether he’d ever return to contention, the West Australian has rebuilt both his confidence and career.
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Now, two wins into his resurgence, another statement performance against Ramazonbek Temirov in Abu Dhabi on Sunday could propel him one step closer to a second crack at UFC gold.
Erceg enters the bout with a professional record of 14 wins and four losses, having bounced back with consecutive unanimous decision victories over Tim Elliott in front of friends and family in Perth and Ode’ Osbourne.
Those wins came after the toughest stretch of his career.
Following a courageous five-round title challenge against Alexandre Pantoja, Erceg suffered successive defeats to Kai Kara-France and Brandon Moreno, leaving many wondering whether the Australian’s rapid rise to the top of the flyweight division had stalled.
Instead, the 30-year-old has emerged from the adversity with a fresh perspective and renewed confidence.
Speaking to Foxsports.com.au, Erceg said he isn’t focused on demanding another title opportunity or trying to predict when it might come.
Instead, his mission is simple – make himself impossible to ignore.
“What I’m focusing on is putting together an undeniable body of work, just fighting all the best guys in a row and then basically becoming undeniable,” Erceg said.
It is a mindset that has come from experience.
The biggest lessons weren’t learned in victory, but while standing across the Octagon from the very best fighters in the world.
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Looking back at his title fight and subsequent bouts against Pantoja and Moreno, Erceg admits he initially viewed the division’s elite differently to every other opponent.
“I was looking at Pantoja and Moreno as people that I’d watched and looked up to for a long time… almost got starstruck.”
That feeling quickly disappeared once the cage door closed.
“Being in there and experiencing that, realising, ‘Wait a minute, they’re just normal people… There’s absolutely no reason why that can’t be me.‘”
While the defeats that followed were painful, Erceg believes they ultimately accelerated his development far more than another victory ever could have.
The outside criticism came quickly, but internally, his belief never disappeared.
“Losses hurt, but I think you learn and grow a lot out of that,” Erceg said.
“So I’m definitely a more resilient person because of those experiences.”
Rather than proving critics wrong, Erceg says the motivation comes from validating the faith shown by those closest to him.
“It’s less about proving people wrong and proving myself and my team right.”
“It doesn’t matter what you do, there’s going to be people that disregard you or hate on you… I just gotta have faith in the people around me.”
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With his confidence restored and consecutive victories behind him, attention naturally turns to how close he may be to another championship opportunity.
The flyweight division is arguably deeper than ever, with champion Joshua Van joined by contenders including former champion Pantoja, Brandon Royval and Manel Kape all jostling for position at the top of the rankings.
Erceg knows the path back won’t be straightforward.
“Honestly, I think it could be like three or four away just because the division is very exciting at the moment.”
“There’s a lot of fun matchups at the top of the division.”
“I realise that it could be in two with emphatic performances and the right timeline and stuff, but it could be seven or eight. You never know,” Erceg said.
While he isn’t looking too far ahead, there is one name that already stands out.
Fresh off Brandon Royval’s impressive submission victory over Lone’er Kavanagh at UFC 329, Erceg believes the American presents the perfect next challenge as he continues climbing back through the rankings.
“I’d love to fight Royval.”
“Royval came off a really good win. He looked good and that’s a matchup that I’ve wanted for ages.”
Should that opportunity arise, Erceg already knows exactly where he’d like it to happen.
A return to Perth would be his first choice, particularly with the UFC locked in to host another pay-per-view in Western Australia in 2027. But he’s realistic enough to know those discussions may not be his to control.
“Yeah, of course. I’d love it to be in Perth,” Erceg said.
“But I understand that he’s obviously more highly ranked than me. So I imagine he gets to dictate where and when and all the particulars.”
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“Any chance I have to fight in Perth, I’ll take with both hands.”
Before any conversations about Royval or another title shot can become reality, Erceg must first overcome Ramazonbek Temirov in what shapes as the biggest test of his resurgence.
Temirov enters Sunday’s bout carrying genuine knockout power and has quickly established himself as one of the division’s most dangerous finishers.
Rather than reinventing his approach, Erceg has focused on sharpening the weapons that have already carried him to the highest level.
“I’ve been focusing on obviously defensive responsibility,” Erceg said.
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“This guy hits really hard and covers distance really quick. So like how I’m going to combat his weapons.”
Mentally, the Australian has simplified everything.
Instead of overanalysing every possible scenario, he’s trusting the instincts built through years of competition.
“You know how to fight so let’s just go out there and fight.”
“Like that’s what you do. It’s what you’ve done your whole life.”
“Just not overthinking or overanalyzing mistakes. It’s like you’re going to get hit and things are going to happen.”
That philosophy has also extended to his preparation.
Rather than dramatically changing his style for one opponent, Erceg believes subtle adjustments are enough.
“One change within me has been realising that you can’t change everything about your game for a particular opponent.”
“So you make little tweaks, but you fight in a certain way.”
“Yes, I’ve made tweaks, but I’m not changing a whole bunch. It’s just little things here and there to optimise my skillset versus his, but it’s mostly the same.”
The confidence that once carried Erceg into a world title fight has also returned.
Strong performances in training and consecutive victories have reinforced his belief that he belongs among the division’s elite.
“I think it’s just how I’ve been going in training, to be honest. Like sparring. And again, I said how fit I feel.”
“I just feel like I can roll anybody. That’s just how I feel. It’s like nobody can go with me for three rounds, five rounds, whatever.”
And if everything goes according to plan, Erceg doesn’t expect Sunday’s fight to reach the judges.
“I don’t have a particular thing in my mind, but third round, I think I’m going to make him really tired.”
“I’m going to get him out of there. I just don’t know how.”
Away from the pressure of fight week, however, there is one thing occupying more of Erceg’s thoughts than Temirov.
Like most fighters cutting weight, the countdown to the scales also means counting down to that first proper meal.
“I look forward to post weigh-in meals the most out of anything.”
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“So I’m looking at what I’m going to eat and all that sort of stuff throughout the week and looking at different recipes.”
“I can’t wait till weigh-in’s Friday morning. So I can’t wait for my first proper meal after that.”
And in typical Erceg fashion, he couldn’t resist one final joke.
“The fight seems secondary to the food at the moment, but it changes pretty quick.”