Steve Erceg had to battle through adversity to claim a unanimous decision win over Ode Osbourne tonight at UFC On ESPN 72.
Round One
Osbourne takes the center of the Octagon to start. Low kicks for him. Right hand for Erceg. Now another lands clean.
Erceg with a couple of punches, but Osbourne blasts him with a hard counter. Oblique kicks from Osbourne. Big hook from Osbourne.
Osbourne’s speed causing problems for Erceg so he drives into the clinch against the cage. Osbourne breaks away quickly though.
Erceg looking for strikes, but Osbourne blasts him with another counter hook that rocks him and Erceg is staggering, but has the presence of mind to work for a takedown attempt.
Erceg gets a bit of breathing room, but not for long and now Osbourne is landing more hard strikes. Osbourne able to work a takedown now and has his back. He’s trying for a choke, but nothing doing and Erceg is able to get back up.
Erceg able to land a takedown now and it’s his turn to take Osbourne’s back and threaten with the rear-naked choke. Osbourne does well to turn into him though and it’s been a strong round for him.
Round Two
Body kick for Osbourne. Oblique kick for him. Fast two-piece combo for Osbourne. Single-leg attempt from Osbourne and moves him over to the cage. Erceg unable to get this though and Osbourne reverses the position.
They break apart now with almost half the round remaining. Nice right hand for Erceg. Leg kick for Osbourne and a glancing punch from Erceg. Erceg comes close with a head kick attempt.
Push kick from Osbourne. Right for Erceg. Erceg working a takedown against the cage, but Osbourne stays upright and escapes.
Erceg steps in with a nice punch, but gets a counter in return. Takedown attempt from Erceg fails. Erceg presses forward behind punches, but slips in the process and has to avoid strikes as he gets back up.
Round Three
Fast one-two from Osbourne. Head kick from Erceg almost gets through. Erceg with a nice jab. Kick for Osbourne. Erceg tries to gets a single-leg, but doesn’t get hold of the limb. Right hand for Erceg.
Erceg with a few grazing punches as he presses forward. Now Erceg working for a takedown and lands it. Erceg in half-guard now and staying tight to try to keep the fight in this advantageous position.
Erceg nicely moves to full mount now. 90 seconds to go as Erceg works around to the back and pulls Osbourne down onto him while sinking in the body triangle.
Osbourne scrambling though and wriggles free to get back up. Erceg brings Osbourne back down and has his back again. He works hard for a rear-naked choke late in the fight, but Osbourne manages to break free from that in the final seconds.
Decision
A hard fought fight then, with Osbourne getting off to a fast start and rocking his opponent in the opening round, but Erceg dug deep to fight through that and gradually gain the upperhand as the fight went on with a mix of striking and mat-work to win by unanimous decision (29-28 x3).
