Steve Erceg
Active 2023–present · rated in 2 editions · peak overall 83.0
Scouting report
Classical stand-up fundamentals and submission transitions carried Steve "AstroBoy" Erceg to a challenge against Alexandre Pantoja for the UFC flyweight title at UFC 301 in May 2024, a fight Erceg lost by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46) over five rounds. Born and trained in Perth, Western Australia, out of Wilkes Martial Arts, Erceg's game is backed by an 88 Cardio engine and 86 Boxing.
Peak ratings
By edition
Steve Erceg, who started in Perth after watching Lesnar fight
Steve Erceg is from Perth, Western Australia, and cites watching Brock Lesnar fight Frank Mir as the moment he decided to train. He has won a gold medal in the 65 kg division at the Australian national freestyle wrestling championships and also competed in muay thai and BJJ. He won the Eternal MMA flyweight title before signing, and his Octagon debut was an upset unanimous decision over David Dvorak that earned a bonus.
Where Erceg's numbers come from
Boxing. 86, his highest striking number. He knocked out Matt Schnell with a left hook in the second round in 2024.
Kickboxing. 82. He competed in muay thai, and he had enough to win decisions over Dvorak and Alessandro Costa.
Wrestling. 82. Gold at the Australian national freestyle championships at 65 kg supports it.
BJJ. 86. Erceg has also competed in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and he brings a complete game to the mat.
Strength. 74. He is not a physical bully, and Kai Kara-France stopped him in the first round in 2024.
Durability. 86. He went five rounds with Alexandre Pantoja in a title fight in 2024 and lost by unanimous decision.
Cardio. 88, his best rating. The Pantoja fight went the full distance, and he later went the distance again with Brandon Moreno.
Fight IQ. 86. He stepped in on short notice to replace Matt Schnell against Dvorak, and it worked.
A cardio engine that carried him through a title fight
Cardio at 88 is the best number on his card. He lasted five rounds with Alexandre Pantoja for the title in 2024, and went the distance with Brandon Moreno in a main event in 2025. Most of the flyweight pool cannot keep pace for that long, so in a full simulated fight he stays dangerous into the late rounds.
Power is the missing piece
His strength rating of 74 is the lowest on the card. Every other attribute sits at 82 or above. The Kara-France loss by first round TKO shows a hard hitter can find a way through, and Erceg does not have the physical size to muscle out of a bad clinch. Stack the deck with a dangerous striker and he gets tested early.
Keep exploring
Closest flyweight profiles to Steve Erceg, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Joseph Benavidezbest cardio 90 · weakest strength 75
- Deiveson Figueiredobest bjj 90 · weakest strength 78
- Brandon Morenobest cardio 94 · weakest strength 73
- Matheus Nicolaubest cardio 86 · weakest strength 71
- Flyweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Protecting your streak: a guide that fits Steve Erceg's strongest attribute, Cardio.
Draft Steve Erceg into your build
Steve Erceg enters the pool on any spin landing on flyweight between 2023 and present. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Steve Erceg is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Steve Erceg's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.