Aussie UFC title contender Steve Erceg has opened up about his dad’s hilarious reaction to his request to start competing in MMA as he prepares for the biggest fight of his career.
At UFC 301 on Sunday, Erceg will square off with UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja for the championship title in Brazil.
Should the 28-year-old Perth product do the unthinkable and win, his unlikely run to the title will be among the fastest in UFC history.
‘Astro Boy’ has had just three Octagon appearances, and is ranked at No.10 in the flyweight division, but sees himself walking away with the belt.
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Steve Erceg (right) will square off with UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja (left) for the championship title in Brazil on Sunday
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Erceg revealed that his dad didn’t think he was tough enough to start fighting so he made the youngster scrap with him in the backyard
Erceg stepped into a local MMA gym at 14 after being inspired by watching Frank Mir submit Brock Lesnar at UFC 81.
He would later go on to make his professional fighting debut in 2016, but before that he had to get permission from his dad.
‘I had to talk to my dad first, and his reaction was “I don’t think you’re tough enough to start fighting”,’ Erceg revealed on UFC 301 Countdown.
‘So he said we will go out in the backyard and have a fight and see what happens there.
‘So me and my dad had a little scrap in the backyard and at the end of it he came away going “Yep, you can have your first fight”.
It was the beginning of an incredible run on the domestic scene where he would eventually claim the Eternal MMA Flyweight Championship.
Fight fans have often made comparisons between Erceg and The Office’s Michael Scott played by Steve Carrell.
However, the Perth star hasn’t let the memes and jokes get to him, and says he’s fine with it.
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The Aussie prodigy is often compared to The Office’s Michael Scott played by Steve Carrell
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Erceg has had a remarkable string of victories both in and out of the UFC
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Erceg believes he will need security to protect him after he defeats Alexandre Pantoja for the championship title on Sunday in Rio
‘If I couldn’t have a laugh I’d be in trouble,’ he told Fox Sports.
‘Being in the business I am, people are always making memes, talking smack about me … but thankfully I’m very equipped to handle all of that.’
Erceg believes he will need security to get him out of the arena in Rio on Sunday, however.
‘Because I’m coming to beat the champion in his hometown,’ Erceg said.
‘So it’s extremely likely that, walking to the Octagon, the crowd will be telling me that I’m going to die.
‘Same as afterwards, when I have that belt, security will have to usher me away because they’ll be throwing bottles at me.
‘I’ll have to get on a plane and get out of there fast because people will want to kill me.
‘That’s how I think it’s going to go.’
