Steve
Erceg has addressed his brutal loss to Ramazonbek
Temirov, marking the former title challenger's fourth defeat in
the
Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Erceg (14-5) took on Temirov (20-3) in a flyweight matchup in the
co-main event of
UFC Abu Dhabi. Temirov had an evident power advantage over
Erceg, who had planned to take his opponent into deep waters.
However, the Australian didn't have a chance to get going as his
Uzbek counterpart put him to sleep with a pair of perfectly timed
right hands following a barrage of strikes in the opening
round.

Steve Erceg says he’s OK after Ramazonbek Temirov knockout at
UFC Abu Dhabi

Erceg now claims he had a great camp and felt in good shape ahead
of the fight, although it didn't go his way. He thanked the UFC and
Abu Dhabi before congratulating Temirov on his victory. Erceg is
grateful to his family and friends, and promises to bounce back
stronger.

“Just wanted to let you know that I'm OK,†Erceg said in an
Instagram video. “I had a great camp. I felt fantastic. But
unfortunately, things don't always go your way. First of all, thank
you to the UFC for the opportunity that you offered me. Thank you
to Abu Dhabi for the hospitality. And congratulations to Ramazon on
a great fight. Lastly, I would like to say to all my family and
friends that your continued support means the world. I'll be
back.â€

Erceg was fast-tracked to a title shot against Alexandre
Pantoja in just his fourth UFC outing in 2024. He came up short
against Pantoja in a valiant effort, which kicked off a three-fight
skid for the Aussie 125-pounder. Erceg had bounced back with wins
over Ode
Osbourne and Tim Elliott
before the latest loss against Temirov, who has finished two of his
three UFC wins in the first round so far, establishing himself as
one of the most promising up-and-comers in the division.

Dan Ige
is eyeing a fresh start at bantamweight in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Ige is set to make his 135-pound debut against David
Martinez at
UFC Fight Night 288 on Sept. 12 at Desert Diamond Arena in
Glendale, Arizona, in what will be the fourth edition of Noche
UFC.

Former featherweight contender Dan Ige looks to revive his UFC
career against surging David Martinez

Ige's (19-11) stock was at its highest when he accepted a fight
against Diego Lopes
on a few hours' notice in 2024, pushing the former title challenger
to the limit in a hard-fought decision loss. However, he has
dropped four out of his last five outings, prompting the move
down.

Ige notably completed a test cut recently to ensure his
bantamweight move goes smoothly.

Meanwhile, Mexico's Martinez (14-1) will have the crowd backing him
at next Noche UFC. “Black Spartan†hasn't lost in 10 straight bouts
since 2021, including three in the UFC following a win on
Dana White's Contender Series. The 27-year-old prospect has
already defeated veteran bantamweights like Rob Font and
Marlon
Vera.

UFC stars Colby Covington, Belal Muhammad, Merab Dvalishvili, and Henry Cejudo have their grudge matches booked to take pace on the RAF mats.