Steve Erceg rose to the occasion in his first major faceoff in The Ultimate Fighting Championship. The 28-year-old Australian, known for his effective standup and tactical clinch game, earned a unanimous verdict over Alessandro Costa in their featured UFC 295 flyweight preliminary contest. Held at Madison Square Garden in New York, all three cageside judges scored the bout 29-28, favoring Erceg. This tally takes his winning streak to 10 straight victories. Despite a strong showing from Costa in the middle stages of the fight, Erceg was able to pile on the points while keeping safe in tight spaces.
In another high octane match, former Legacy Fighting Alliance champion Lupita Godinez became the first female fighter to bag four wins in a calendar year. She outperformed Tabatha Ricci in a three-round women’s strawweight battle, earning a split decision. Ricci, whose quick shots from the outside earned her some points, including a first-round knockdown of Godinez with a left hook, couldn’t make up for her inconsistency. Godinez’s busier approach throughout the 15-minute bout, coupled with her composed takedown defense, was able to hold off any threatening attacks from Ricci.
In the first round of their lightweight confrontation, Berserker’s Team standout Mateusz Rebecki triumphed over Dana White’s Contender Series alum, Roosevelt Roberts, using an armbar tactic. Roberts conceded defeat 3 minutes 8 seconds into Round 1. Rebecki, showcasing his forward strategy with leg kicks and power punches, grabbed a takedown opportunity in the first minute and used it to secure a scrambling back position. From there, he masterfully shifted his hips and caught the armbar from the bottom, leading to Roberts’ verbal submission.
Further in the fight card, Jared Gordon took down 2016 Olympic silver medalist Mark O. Madsen with punches in the first round of their lightweight showdown. Gordon wrapped it up 4 minutes 42 seconds into Round 1. Madsen lost his command after managing a majority of the match with a punishing clinch. Gordon capitalized on this with the right strikes, forcing Madsen back into the cage. The latter attempted a comeback but Gordon’s series of punches led to a stoppage. This marked a second consecutive loss for Madsen, who had started his career 12-0.