Is Steve Erceg Croatian? Ethnicity, Religion & More about the UFC Star

When Steve Erceg took the fight against Alexandre Pantoja, the entire MMA world was not expecting much from the fighter as he was pretty new to the UFC. His selection as the potential contender for the flyweight title was even laughed at. However, ‘Astroboy’ shocked the entire MMA community with his amazing performance at UFC 301. Despite the loss, Erceg made sure that everyone knew who he was.

But while his on-stage life received quite some spotlight, the fighting community couldn’t get enough intel on Erceg’s private life. Have you ever wondered about Erceg’s ethnicity and other background details? If yes, then come join us as we explore Erceg’s background. 

Where is Steve Erceg from? Ethnicity and nationality

Nicknamed the ‘Astroboy’, Erceg was born on the 27th of July, 1995. The 28-year-old mixed martial artist hails from the land of Perth, Western Australia. The city is not new to UFC. Alexander Volkanovski fought Islam Makhachev in UFC 284 in Perth. Furthermore, the city is set to host the mixed martial arts promotion once again for UFC 305.

Without a doubt, the Perth-born fighter aspires to become the champion someday, with Volkanovski being his idol. “Definitely, now, Alexander Volkanovski. I don’t like to say it because I don’t like being a fanboy in front of people, but when I went to Perth, just to see the way he carried himself [against Islam Makhachev],” the Aussie has revealed.

But what’s with the nickname ‘Astroboy’? Well, it came from Stephen Thompson’s moniker, ‘Wonderboy’. Although he initially wanted to take up the same name, Erceg disclosed that his coach’s ex-girlfriend pointed out that he looked like ‘Astroboy’. And then the name stuck. Coming from Perth, the fighter has seen fights that have inspired many others to get their stance in mixed martial arts. Erceg’s, however, has taken him from being an anonymous fighter to being the unexpected challenger of the flyweight division.

But what about ‘Astroboy’s faith? Which religion does the flyweight contender incline himself toward? Let’s take a look. 

What religion does Steve Erceg follow?

Well, the Australian flyweight contender hasn’t really revealed anything regarding his religious affiliations. But we can certainly make an educated guess. The last name ‘Erceg’ can be linked to Croatian and Serbian origins, which is actually extracted from the vernacular form of ‘herceg’ or Duke. And people with Erceg as the last name are often linked to regions where Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy are pretty common. Hence, we can say that ‘Astroboy’ most likely comes from a Christian household, or has Christian ancestors. 

While Erceg hasn’t publicly talked about his religious beliefs, he is going to need every blessing that he can get as he gets ready to face Brandon Moreno at UFC Fight Night 256. If he desires to rise up from the #8 spot in the flyweight rankings, Erceg desperately requires to secure a win over ‘The Assassin baby’. However, that isn’t an easy feat. Nevertheless, we can rest assured that the bout is going to be electric.

What do you think about Steve Erceg’s background? State your thoughts in the comments below.