Steve Erceg says he doesn’t deserve title rematch, aims for Perth return at UFC 305

With Steve Erceg saying he doesn’t deserve a title rematch after falling just short of causing a massive upset at UFC 301 in Brazil, could a Perth return in front of home fans be just what he needs?

Steve Erceg (L) cracks Alexandre Pantoja during their UFC 301 flyweight title fight. Picture: Leandro Bernardes/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

A shattered Steve Erceg says he doesn’t deserve or expect an immediate rematch with Alexandre Pantoja, but wants to return at UFC 305 in Perth in August.

The 10th ranked flyweight in the world, Erceg almost pulled off a remarkable upset at UFC 301 on the weekend, but fell short when an ill-advised fifth round takedown went wrong.

While UFC commentators and plenty of pundits felt he should have been awarded the decision, Erceg admits he blew it.

“No, I don’t think so,” he told this masthead just 18 hours after the fight when asked if he deserves an immediate rematch. “Maybe if there was an obvious robbery, but this wasn’t that.

“I thought I lost. I thought it could’ve been 3-2 to him, or even 4-1 to him.”

After leaving Pantoja bleeding badly from a cut over the eye courtesy of an elbow, Erceg came through relatively unscathed, and said he wants to fight in front of his home fans in Perth at UFC 303.

Steve Erceg reacts to his defeat to Pantoja. Picture: Getty Images

“I feel pretty good,” he said. “I have some niggly stuff from the fight, but I think that’s just niggly stuff.

“I feel I can quickly turn around and fight in Perth.

“That’s my aim at the moment. We’ll let things heal up and talk to the UFC and see what we can make happen.”

He already has a couple of names in mind, and will start planning another run at the title.

“I don’t know what they’ll do with the rankings, but I want to fight somebody good,” he said. “So, Brandon Royval, or Muhammad Mokaev.

Erceg cut Pantoja above his eye. Picture: Getty Images

“Whoever, I just want somebody good.

“The number 10 ranked guy fighting the champion doesn’t happen very often, so, with the way the division pans out, I could get another shot because nobody else is in line and they need a title fight.

“So, it could be two or three fights (before another title fight), but yeah, I’ve gotta do that first.”

Pantoja was awarded the fight 3-2 on two of the three Octagon-side judges’ scorecards, with the fifth round proving the decider.

Erceg wants to fight in Perth in August. Picture: Getty Images

Reflecting on the fight from his hotel room a day later, Erceg says his final round takedown attempt was what lost him the bout.

“That’s where it ended up being decided, that was the most obvious moment,” he said. “He was very good with his takedowns and scrambling, but I really thought that I could scramble with him.

“I thought that if I went first with the wrestling, I’d give him a hard time, and that’s obviously how I lost the fight.

“I thought he was getting tired and I could get a quick takedown and solidify. But he scrambled really well and I ended up on my back for the rest of the round.

Pantoja was able to reverse a takedown in the fifth round and win the fight. Picture: Getty Images

“It lost me the fight.”

The cut Erceg gave Pantoja over his eye was still bleeding when he arrived at the post-fight press conference, and the Aussie said he was impressed with how well the Brazilian took a shot.

“Honestly, I knew he had a good chin, but I really hit that guy,” he laughed. “I hit him as hard as I could with a lot of different things and he took it really well.

“He’d do this little blitz, and I thought that he was just trying to get some punches off early in the fight.

“But then I realised that he’s just blitzing really hard, knowing I’m going to crack him, but he doesn’t care because he’s gonna put me into the fence and has a chance to grapple.

“I had a crack, and gave it my all, but he was obviously very good.”

Originally published as Steve Erceg says he doesn’t deserve title rematch, aims for Perth return at UFC 305