UFC 301: Steve Erceg Reacts to Title Shot, Names Potential Fights After Pantoja

Erceg initially called his father an ‘idiot’ after he predicted he was up next for champ Alexandre Pantoja.

UFC 289

The latest UFC title challenger came out of nowhere.

It’d be none other than #10-ranked Steve Erceg who got the golden opportunity to face flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja in the main event of UFC 301. The Australian heads into enemy territory in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on May 4th.

The unforeseen news came two weeks after Erceg knocked out Matt Schnell on the UFC Vegas 87 undercard.

RELATED: UFC 301: Alexandre Pantoja Reveals How ‘Unknown’ Steve Erceg Got Flyweight Title Shot

Erceg says he got the call to fight the champion while he was eating ‘KFC’ at his kitchen table. It didn’t come as too much of a shock to him as the flyweight revealed in a recent interview with SportsKeeda.

“I'd say about a five,” Erceg said when asked to rate his amazement on a scale from 1-10. “It wasn't a complete surprise just because I did get asked a few weird questions by the UFC broadcast team and that sort of stuff. Then, my dad actually predicted he thought that I'd get the fight next and I called him an idiot. But I do apologize for that one 'cause obviously he was right.


“Everybody seems very excited. I'm getting a lot of support from people from Perth and Australia. It's cool. I can't wait to go do my thing and bring the belt back home for 'em.”

It’s been a fast track to the top for the 28-year-old Erceg, who enters his first world title fight after having only three fights in the promotion. ‘Astroboy’ debuted just over nine months ago at UFC 289. 

“I think it's hard at least for me to enjoy things and like appreciate the position I'm in at the time,” Erceg reflected on his UFC run thus far. “I think once my career is done I can really look back and go, ‘Oh wow, I can't believe I did that’. But at the moment I'm just pushing for the next thing, pushing for the next thing. I've obviously got this big fight coming up, so all eyes and all my preparation is making sure that I get the job done there and then I'll be on to the next thing. 


“I thought that I could get [to the title] faster because I did have a ranked win. But yeah, I guess you still don't expect it to be this fast. I'm happy that I thought I was the best in the world and I'm getting an opportunity very quickly to find out whether I actually am.”

While Alexandre Pantoja takes up his full focus at UFC 301, Erceg looks forward to what the UFC Flyweight division has to offer in form of the next title challenger: 

“Most likely the winner of [Manel] Kape and [Matheus] Nicolau, but I think it's dependent on Kape winning really. I think if he wins, he gets the next shot,” Erceg continued. “Other than that, you have [Brandon] Royval or [Muhammad] Mokaev probably needs one more win. Probably Royval or Kape… I think Royval should fight Mokaev and then Kape should fight me.”

Fellow flyweight contender Muhammad Mokaev has another idea in mind, claiming #1 contender Brandon Royval isn’t lining up for a potential title eliminator fight against him.

“Royval went silent,” Mokaev wrote on ‘X’ on Thursday. “But I have another tough challenger it’s [Kai] Kara France. When I came to the UFC Kai Kara said when this kid will reach top 10 I will fight him, let’s do it bro , I’m here without the opponent.”

Royval went silent
But I have another tough challenger it’s Kair Kara France

When I came to the UFC Kai Kara said when this kid will reach top 10 I will fight him, let’s do it bro , I’m here without the opponent

— Muhammad Mokaev (@muhammadmokaev) March 28, 2024

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