Steve Erceg
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Stephen Vincenzo Erceg (born July 27, 1995) is an Australian professional
mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...
. He currently competes in the
Flyweight Flyweight is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing up to and including 51 kg (112 lb) for a title fight. Professional boxing The flyweight division was the last of boxin ...
division of the
Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...
(UFC). As of July 1, 2025, he is #10 in the UFC flyweight rankings.


Early life

Erceg was born in
Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
,
Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...
into a family of Croatian and
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
descent. He attended Corpus Christi College throughout his upbringing and has stated he was a "big
WWE World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
fan" in his younger years. His interest in professional wrestling led to discovering
mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...
when he watched
Brock Lesnar Brock Edward Lesnar ( ; born July 12, 1977) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and former Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist, Amateur wrestling, amateur wrestler and professional American football player. As a ...
compete against
Frank Mir Francisco Santos Miranda III (; born May 24, 1979), is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight division. He competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) for sixteen years, and Bellator MMA. A former UFC Heavywe ...
at
UFC 81 ''UFC 81: Breaking Point'' was a mixed martial arts (MMA) event held on February 2, 2008, by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on the Las Vegas Strip. Background The main event featured Tim Sylvia and Ant ...
and subsequently decided to begin MMA training at his local gym. Along with mixed martial arts, Erceg has competed in
muay thai Muay Thai or Muaythai (, , ), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, the Art of Eight Limbs or the Science of Eight Limbs, is a Thai martial art and full-contact combat sport that uses stand-up striking, sweeps, and various clinch fighting, cl ...
and Brazilian jiu jitsu competitions as well as winning a gold medal in the 65 kg division at the Australian national
freestyle wrestling Freestyle wrestling is a style of wrestling. It is one of two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic Games, along with Greco-Roman wrestling, Greco-Roman. scholastic wrestling, High school wrestling and men's collegiate wrestling in the U ...
championships.


Mixed martial arts career


Early career

Starting his career in 2016, Erceg fought in Australian promotions such as Hex Fighting Series and Eternal MMA, winning the flyweight title in the latter and compiling an 9–1 record before signing with the UFC.


Ultimate Fighting Championship

Erceg was scheduled to face Clayton Carpenter at the sixth season of Dana White's Contender Series in 2022 and UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Hill in May 2023, but Erceg pulled out both times due to
visa Visa most commonly refers to: * Travel visa, a document that allows entry to a foreign country * Visa Inc., a US multinational financial and payment cards company ** Visa Debit card issued by the above company ** Visa Electron, a debit card ** Vi ...
issues. The bout had been rebooked for UFC on ESPN: Strickland vs. Magomedov on July 1, 2023, but it was scrapped after Carpenter pulled out due to an undisclosed injury. Making his UFC debut, Erceg faced David Dvořák on June 10, 2023, at UFC 289, replacing
Matt Schnell Matthew Christopher Schnell (born January 15, 1990) is an American professional mixed martial artist currently competing in the Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Schnell formerly competed for Legacy Fighting Alliance ...
. In an upset, he won the bout via unanimous decision. The win also earned Erceg his first ''Performance of the Night'' bonus award. Erceg was scheduled to face
Matt Schnell Matthew Christopher Schnell (born January 15, 1990) is an American professional mixed martial artist currently competing in the Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Schnell formerly competed for Legacy Fighting Alliance ...
on November 11, 2023, at UFC 295. However, Schnell withdrew from the bout for unknown reasons and was replaced by Alessandro Costa. Erceg won the bout by unanimous decision. The bout with
Matt Schnell Matthew Christopher Schnell (born January 15, 1990) is an American professional mixed martial artist currently competing in the Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Schnell formerly competed for Legacy Fighting Alliance ...
was rescheduled on March 2, 2024, at
UFC Fight Night 238 ''UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 238'', ''UFC on ESPN+ 96'' and ''UFC Vegas 87'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on March 2, 2024, at the U ...
. Erceg won the bout in the second round by a left-hook knockout. This fight earned him the '' Performance of the Night'' award. Erceg faced
Alexandre Pantoja Alexandre Pantoja Passidomo (born April 16, 1990) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the current UFC Flyweight Champion. As ...
for the
UFC Flyweight Championship Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...
on May 4, 2024, at UFC 301. He lost the fight by unanimous decision. Erceg faced
Kai Kara-France James Kaiwhare "Kai" Kara-France (born 26 March 1993) is a New Zealand professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of 5 December 2023, he is #4 in the UFC f ...
on August 18, 2024, at
UFC 305 ''UFC 305: du Plessis vs. Adesanya'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on August 18, 2024, at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. Background The event marked the promotion's third visit ...
. He lost the fight by technical knockout in the first round. Erceg was scheduled to face Asu Almabayev on March 1, 2025 at
UFC Fight Night 253 ''UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Almabayev'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 253'' and ''UFC Vegas 103'' and ''UFC on ESPN+ 111'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on March 1, 2025, at the ...
. However, Erceg was pulled from the bout in order to compete in the main event against former two-time UFC Flyweight Champion
Brandon Moreno Brandon Moreno Carrillo (born December 7, 1993) is a Mexican professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former two-time UFC Flyweight Champion and ...
on April 5, 2025 at
UFC on ESPN 64 ''UFC on ESPN: Moreno vs. Erceg'' (also known as ''UFC on ESPN 64'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on March 29, 2025, at Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico. Background The event ma ...
. Erceg lost to Moreno by unanimous decision. Erceg is scheduled to face former
UFC Flyweight Championship Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...
challenger Alex Perez on August 9, 2025 at UFC on ESPN 72.


Championships and accomplishments


Mixed martial arts

*
Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...
** Performance of the Night (Two times) **UFC.com Awards *** 2023: Ranked #5 Newcomer of the Year *Eternal MMA **Eternal MMA Flyweight Championship (One time) ***One successful title defense


Personal life

Erceg's nickname 'Astroboy' comes from Erceg's resemblance in his younger years to the Japanese manga character.


Mixed martial arts record

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Brandon Moreno Brandon Moreno Carrillo (born December 7, 1993) is a Mexican professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former two-time UFC Flyweight Champion and ...
, Decision (unanimous) , UFC on ESPN: Moreno vs. Erceg , , align=center, 5 , align=center, 5:00 ,
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Kai Kara-France James Kaiwhare "Kai" Kara-France (born 26 March 1993) is a New Zealand professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of 5 December 2023, he is #4 in the UFC f ...
, TKO (punches) ,
UFC 305 ''UFC 305: du Plessis vs. Adesanya'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on August 18, 2024, at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. Background The event marked the promotion's third visit ...
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Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
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Alexandre Pantoja Alexandre Pantoja Passidomo (born April 16, 1990) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the current UFC Flyweight Champion. As ...
, Decision (unanimous) , UFC 301 , , align=center, 5 , align=center, 5:00 ,
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 12–1 ,
Matt Schnell Matthew Christopher Schnell (born January 15, 1990) is an American professional mixed martial artist currently competing in the Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Schnell formerly competed for Legacy Fighting Alliance ...
, KO (punch) , UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 0:26 ,
Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
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New York City, New York New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural harb ...
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,
British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
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Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
, Australia , , - , Win , align=center, 8–1 , Paul Loga , Submission (guillotine choke) , Eternal MMA 62 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:31 ,
Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
, Australia , , - , Win , align=center, 7–1 , Cody Haddon , Decision (unanimous) , Eternal MMA 60 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,
Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
, Australia , , - , Win , align=center, 6–1 , Shannon Ross , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Eternal MMA 52 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 4:28 , Gold Coast, Australia , , - , Win , align=center, 5–1 , Paul Loga , KO (punch) , Eternal MMA 47 , , align=Center, 1 , align=center, 1:31 ,
Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
, Australia , , - , Win , align=center, 4–1 , Tim Moore , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Eternal MMA 45 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 3:15 ,
Southport Southport is a seaside resort, seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. It lies on the West Lancashire Coastal Plain, West Lancashire coastal plain and the east coast of the Irish Sea, approximately north of ...
, Australia , , - , Win , align=center, 3–1 , Mark Familiari , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Eternal MMA 41 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 4:15 ,
Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
, Australia , , - , Win , align=center, 2–1 , Choi Seung-guk , Decision (unanimous) , Hex Fight Series 15 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 , Northbridge, Australia , , - , Loss , align=center, 1–1 , Sean Gauci , Decision (unanimous) , Hex Fight Series 11 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
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Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
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Pay-per-view bouts


See also

*
List of current UFC fighters This list of current UFC fighters records current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighters' information, country origins, recent fighter signings and departures, fight schedules and results and the champion of each division. , the UFC roster c ...
*
List of male mixed martial artists This is a list of notable professional male mixed martial arts fighters in alphabetical order. __NOTOC__ A * Tank Abbott - ( UFC, Pride, Strikeforce) * Hamdy Abdelwahab - ( UFC) * Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov - ( ACB) * Shamil Abdurakhimov - ...


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Erceg, Steve 1995 births Living people Australian male mixed martial artists Flyweight mixed martial artists Bantamweight mixed martial artists Ultimate Fighting Championship male fighters Martial artists from Perth, Western Australia Australian people of Croatian descent Australian people of Italian descent 21st-century Australian sportsmen Mixed martial artists utilizing freestyle wrestling Mixed martial artists utilizing Muay Thai Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu Australian male sport wrestlers Australian male Muay Thai practitioners Australian practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu