Erceg Maintains He'll Return After Abu Dhabi KO

Steve Erceg says he will be back after Ramazan Temirov knocked him out in the opening round at UFC Abu Dhabi this past weekend.

Erceg, who challenged Alexandre Pantoja for the flyweight title last year, took to Instagram following the loss at Etihad Arena to reassure supporters. "Just wanted to check in and let you know that I'm okay," he wrote, per MMA Mania. "I had a great camp, felt fantastic, but unfortunately things don't always go your way." He thanked the UFC and Abu Dhabi for the opportunity, congratulated Temirov, and closed by saying he would return to competition.

Meta Rankings Drop Erceg After First-Round Finish

The Australian flyweight was removed entirely from the UFC's Meta Top 15 rankings following the stoppage, though he remains listed in the traditional media poll two spots ahead of Temirov. Erceg now holds a 14-5 record overall and sits 5-4 inside the Octagon after the setback snapped a two-fight win streak. He has been knocked out twice during his UFC tenure, both times after building momentum with multiple victories.

Erceg opened his promotional run with three straight wins to earn a title shot against Pantoja, dropping a close unanimous decision before losing two more in a row. He rebounded with back-to-back wins heading into the Temirov fight but now finds himself scrambling for position again in a crowded division. A matchup with someone like Mitch Raposo could serve as a reset fight, per MMA Mania's reporting.

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• MMA Mania — Former UFC title challenger releases statement following brutal knockout loss, gets booted from rankings