Sunday’s UFC 295 card is set to be an absolute cracker – and not just because an Aussie phenom is making his second appearance in the competition.
That’s 10-1 flyweight Stephen Erceg, the No.14 ranked flyweight who is taking on Alessandro Costa, who stepped up to the plate after No.9 American Matt Schnell withdrew a fortnight ago.
Funnily enough, it was Schnell withdrawing from his last scheduled bout back in June that gave Erceg – nicknamed Astro Boy – his UFC debut, with the Aussie claiming a unanimous points win over his 10th-ranked opponent.
Aussie UFC champion Alexander Volkanovski told Fox Sports’ Main Event: “I’ve actually thought highly of him for a while, since before his was in the UFC,” and revealed he sent a message of support to Erceg after watching him fight in Eternal MMA – where he won the title in 2020 before defending the belt three times.
UFC 295: Prochazka vs Pereira | SUN 12th NOV 2PM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports!
Aspinall explains hilarious new nickname | 00:46
While Erceg’s next opponent Costa isn’t ranked, a win would continue his impressive rise as he targets a rapid run to a world title shot.
Erceg said of his meteoric rise: “It feels amazing. It’s something I’ve dreamt about for a long time. To be propelled as quickly as I’ve been propelled is awesome!”
“I’ve always wanted to be the best in the world. I never want to half do it,” he added.
That fight will headline the undercard at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, but the action only ramps up with a main event featuring a pair of massive title bouts.
Jiri Prochazka (29-3-1) and Alex Pereira (8-2) will do battle for the light heavyweight title, while Sergei Pavlovich (18-1) faces Tom Aspinall (13-3) for the interim heavyweight title in the co-main event.
It’s not how the card was initially meant to read.
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UFC legend Jon Jones was set to defend the heavyweight crown that he won in March in a blockbuster against former two-time champ Stipe Miocic, only for Jones to tear his pectoral muscle last month.
Jones needs surgery and will be out for eight months, but the UFC didn’t push the superstar to vacate his title. Miocic refused to fight a replacement, forcing the UFC to instead lock in an interim title bout between Pavlovich and Aspinall, the number two and four-ranked heavyweights respectively.
It’s a bout that is worthy of a full title, not just an interim – with UFC icon Chael Sonnen saying it’s an ‘insult’ that it’s not the legitimate belt on the line.
Pavlovich, on the back of a remarkable run of six first-round knockout wins in a row, simply said: “For me, this is the legit title.”
Either way, it’s set to be a ripper – just like the other headline matchup.
Jiri Prochazka (29-3-1) won the light heavyweight title last year with a stunning win over Glover Teixeira, submitting his rival in the final 30 seconds of a bloody war while down on two of the three judges’ scorecards.
He was set for a rematch with Teixeira in December last year, before a shoulder injury saw him immediately vacate the title before undergoing surgery.
Jamahal Hill then won the vacant title by beating Teixeira in January – only to rupture his Achilles tendon playing basketball in July.
Like Prochazka, Hill immediately vacated the title.
Now Prochazka will again fight for the full title, but this time against Alex Pereira (8-2), the former UFC middleweight champ (who won that title against Israel Adesanya in Nov. 2022 before losing the belt in their rematch in April).
Two former champions going at it with a belt on the line, with Hill waiting in the wings for a shot at the winner?
Bring it on.
UFC 295: Prochazka vs Pereira | SUN 12th NOV 2PM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports!
FULL CARD
Main Card (2pm AEDT, PPV)
Light Heavyweight: Jiří Procházka vs. Alex Pereira for the UFC light heavyweight title
Heavyweight: Sergei Pavlovich vs. Tom Aspinall for the UFC interim heavyweight title
Women’s Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern vs. Jéssica Andrade
Lightweight: Matt Frevola vs. Benoît Saint-Denis
Featherweight: Diego Lopes vs. Pat Sabatini
Preliminary card (12pm AEDT on ESPN)
Flyweight: Steve Erceg vs. Alessandro Costa
Women’s Strawweight: Tabatha Ricci vs. Loopy Godinez
Lightweight: Mateusz Rębecki vs. Roosevelt Roberts
Lightweight: Nazim Sadykhov vs. Viacheslav Borshchev
Early preliminary card (ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass)
Lightweight: Jared Gordon vs. Mark Madsen
Bantamweight: John Castañeda vs. Kang Kyung-ho
Flyweight: Joshua Van vs. Kevin Borjas
Featherweight: Dennis Buzukja vs. Jamall Emmers
UFC 295: Prochazka vs Pereira | SUN 12th NOV 2PM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports!
