Steve Erceg fight preview, rise, background

Years ago, Steve Erceg used to mimic the ‘Benji Step’.

“Even though I was playing Aussie Rules,” grins the now 28-year-old fighter.

A fella too who isn’t only on a tear of 10 straight wins, or eyeing off one of the quickest ever runs to UFC gold, but who this Sunday is looking to confirm himself as a Next Big Thing of the UFC flyweight division.

And only hours before the NRL also lights up Las Vegas.

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Once a livewire footy player who loved to mimic the footwork of Wests Tigers premiership hero Benji Marshall, Erceg now plans to use either his feet, or fists, to knock American Matt Schnell cold at the UFC Apex Centre.

Which, in part, he says, can be credited to the sidestep.

Same deal, his being an Instagram “stalker”.

Apart from having transferred his strong athleticism from footy fields to a professional fight career, where he has not lost since 2017, Erceg also has a habit of shadowing his opponents online.

A bizarre truth that has assisted this rising Aussie star, in just two UFC appearances, to reach No.12 in his division’s rankings – with Schnell, at No.9, next in his crosshairs.

“And I really think I’m going to knock him out,” Erceg told Fox Sports Australia this week from Las Vegas, where he and fellow Aussie fighter Tyson Pedro have not only been doing promotional shoots with the NRL, but also training with Manly Sea Eagles players at the UFC Performance Institute.

“I feel like there are so many opportunities to walk him onto punches, onto kicks that I take him out that way.”

And as for where his confidence comes from?

“I stalk people’s Instagrams before a fight,” he laughs.

Really?

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“I just want to see what they’re about,” he continues of the pre-fight ritual.

“I’m just very curious, I guess. Want to know as much about them as I can.

“It’s about nerves, too.

“When you know you’re about to fight a guy, the most obvious question is ‘what is he going to do?’.

“So you go take a look.

“Is the guy big, small, will he be weight cutting, stuff like that.

“Of course fighters are always posting videos from training, too.

“And I like to see what they’re doing in the gym — who they’re training with, what the training load is like — because every little bit of information helps.

“Sometimes you can even pick up a tell, something they show in training that you may not have seen in their fights.

“Even if it’s no more than a five-second clip, you’ll get something.

“And over time I’ve definitely got benefits from looking at opponents.”

Seen anything with Schnell?

“Yes,” continues the fighter dubbed Astro Boy.

“Obviously I’m not going to mention what, but I have seen things in his footage that I can take advantage of.”

Already, the Aussie and his latest rival already share a unique history.

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Last June, Erceg was catapulted into his hyped UFC debut against David Dvorak – which he won as a big underdog — after Schnell himself withdrew with injury.

Then in November the pair were matched up for a fight, only for the American to again withdraw with an undisclosed injury.

Asked by Fox Sports Australia at the time about a future fight between the pair, the former Eternal champ said: “I’m not wasting my time with guys who either can’t make it to the fight or don’t want to fight”.

So as for his thoughts now that they’ve been paired up again?

“My first reaction was ‘I hope he makes the fight this time’,” he conceded.

“I’m not sh…y on anyone. It’s the fight game.

“And I’ve had a lot of guys withdraw over the years, especially on the local scene.

“But my first reaction was to think ‘am I preparing for him? Will there be somebody else?’.

“Although less than a week out now, it looks like he’s made the fight.”

Asked if Team Schnell had ever reached out to explain their reasons for withdrawing the first time around, Erceg continued: “No they haven’t and it’s not important.

“I don’t feel they have to tell me what it was, either.

“That’s completely up to them.”

So as for fighting on the same night as the NRL showcase?

“It’s definitely cool to have so many other Australians in town,” he says, before adding that he has already been offered tickets to the double header and may attend if everything goes to plan inside the UFC Apex.

“I’m not hugely into rugby league, but I do watch it from time to time.

“I always used to like Benji Marshall.

“Liked the way he stepped people.

“Playing Australian Rules, one of my favourite things was to step people and he’s always been one of the best at it.”

“Definitely an exciting fighter,” he says.

“It’s going to be a good fight and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”