UFC flyweight Steve Erceg expects fireworks in front of a sell-out hometown crowd when he faces New Zealander Kai Kara-France at RAC Arena.
The flyweight contest was confirmed on Monday, with UFC 305 headlined by middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and former two-time champ Israel Adesanya on August 18.
Speaking with The West at an exclusive event at the Riverton Bar and Grill on Sunday, Erceg (12-2) said he expects an “absolute banger” of a fight against No.4 ranked Kara-France (24-11) after his decision loss against champion Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 301.
“I’m not nervous because he’s a kiwi, I’m nervous because he’s a good fighter, but he’s only got one thing that he does well, and that’s landing a right hand,” the 28-year-old said.
“He has a good way of setting it (the right hand) up, but I think I’m more dynamic than he is, I think I can walk in with different shots.
“It’s going to be a fun fight… I’m going try to take his head off and he’s going to try to take mine off.”
Erceg said while he is still aiming for another title shot, he would like to fight No.1 flyweight Brandon Royval (16-7) after UFC 305.
“I want to fight Royval, he’s come off a loss in his last title fight and keeps beating all the contenders. I want to fight in Perth and then after that, I want to smoke the next best guy, which is him,” he told the crowd.
Erceg was joined by No.5 welterweight Jack Della Maddalena, 27, who is still recovering from a broken arm and staph infection following his knockout win against Gilbert Burns at UFC 299.
“I’ve had a few surgeries, but it seems to be pretty good now, I’m hoping by UFC Perth I can at least start sparring— hopefully I can take a kick in the arm, then I’ll probably be good to go,” the Perth fighter said.
Della Maddalena said he was still aiming for a bout against welterweight Shavkat Rahkmonov (18-0) after calling him out after his win at UFC 299.
“I think he’s someone that if you beat him, you get the title shot,” he said. “We are going to try and hit him over and over again and take him out.”
Other names on the welterweight’s mind included Irish mixed-martial artist Ian Garry and US brawler Colby Covington.
Australian heavyweight Tai “Bam Bam” Tuivasa (14-7) is looking to beat his four-fight losing streak when he faces Suriname fighter Jairzinho Rozenstruik (14-5) in Perth.
New Zealand-born, Queensland fighter Junior Tafa (5-2) will meet Brazilian Valter Walker (11-1) while fellow Australian Casey O’Neill (9-2) has been booked to face Tereza Bleda (7-1).
Australian featherweights Josh Culibao (11-3-1) will take on Ricardo Ramos (16-6) and Jack Jenkins (12-3) will fight Canadian Gavin Tucker (13-3).
Tickets for UFC 305 will be on sale to the general public from 12pm on Friday.
