Steve Erceg Defeats Tim Elliott by Unanimous Decision at UFC Perth

Steve Erceg extended his winning run inside the UFC octagon with a unanimous decision victory over Tim Elliott at UFC Perth, with all three cageside judges scoring the three-round flyweight contest 29-28 in his favour.

Erceg, nicknamed "Astroboy," improved his professional record to 14-4 and now sits at number nine in the flyweight rankings. The 30-year-old Australian, who trains out of Wilkes Martial Arts, controlled the striking exchanges throughout, outlanding Elliott by a significant margin of 137 to 84 in significant strikes. Landing at a 45 percent accuracy clip and averaging four significant strikes per minute, Erceg showed disciplined and measured output across all three rounds.

Elliott, the 39-year-old southpaw from the United States, entered the contest ranked 11th in the flyweight division with a record of 22-14-1. Fighting out of Next Generation Mixed Martial Arts, Elliott had been on a two-fight finishing streak heading into Perth, but was unable to impose his grappling-heavy game effectively enough to shift the outcome. He averages 3.71 takedowns per 15 minutes and over one submission attempt per 15 minutes, making him a persistent threat on the mat, though Erceg's striking management limited those opportunities.

Why it matters

• Erceg's second straight UFC win strengthens his case as a legitimate top-ten flyweight contender at 30 years old
• Elliott's finishing streak ends, and a second consecutive loss could affect his position at number 11 in the division
• The stylistic contrast — Erceg's volume striking against Elliott's takedown-heavy approach — made the judges' work close, with all three cards landing at a single point margin