Erceg plans for Perth fight after career-saving win
Erceg (13-4) snapped a three-fight losing streak with a unanimous decision over Osbourne (13-9) at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Sunday morning.
It was a vital win for the 30-year-old former title contender who was in danger of being cut by the UFC had he lost a fourth consecutive bout.
Erceg said he could back up in only seven weeks and fight in Perth on September 28 when light heavyweights Carlos Ulberg takes on Dominick Reyes in the main event.
'I think so. You never know but I think I can at the moment for sure,' Erceg said when asked if he could do the quick turnaround.
Things didn't look good early in the fight for Erceg when the free-wheeling Osbourne caught him with a lethal right hand.
The man known as 'AstroBoy' kept him composure to win the next two rounds, turning to his grappling to curtail the dangerous striker, taking control of to ensure he would get the win on the judges' scoreboards 29-28. Steve Erceg snapped a three-fight losing streak. Credit: Jeff Bottari / Zuffa LLC
'(I was) Pretty hurt. Part of the game plan, though. Dad told me, 'Make sure you get hurt early, let him blow his load and then figure it out after that,'' Erceg said.
'I thought I did enough. You never really know, but I thought I had his back in the second, I had his back in the third, so I thought I did enough.'
Erceg said he had 'heaps' of pressure on himself heading into the fight to snap his losing streak.
'You have doubts going through your head,' he said.
'Was I a fraud along? Do I deserve to be here? All that nonsense.
'It's good to fight a tough guy in the UFC. He's been here for ages and to get a tough win.'
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