Some would argue that there’s not a lot of pressure on Steve Arseg to enter a title fight at UFC 301 just 11 months after making his promotional debut, and Astro Boy wouldn’t argue with that.
Erceg admits he may have been in the “right place, right time” in terms of winning a title after just three fights in the UFC, but the Myary, Australia native isn’t taking the opportunity lightly. He considers this the culmination moment of his hard work and dedication to the sport of mixed martial arts.
Erceg, who has not lost a match since his second professional fight in 2017, believes there is a lot of pressure going into this fight and aims to take home the strap at the end of the night in Rio de Janeiro. .
“Honestly, I think there’s as much pressure on me as there is on Pantoja,” Erceg said during an appearance at media day. “Yeah, I know technically he’s the champion and he’s the favorite and things like that, but I’ve been working towards this dream my whole life and this is all about me. So it would be devastating for me to lose here. So I have enough pressure on my shoulders and I know I have put a lot of pressure on myself over the years. I’m confident in all the work I’ve done. I’ve trained long and hard, missed holidays, missed birthdays, and missed all sorts of things to make this dream a reality. That’s what I’m going to go out and do.”
