UFC Vegas 87 video: Steve Erceg flattens Matt Schnell with brutal walkoff knockout in second round

Steve Erceg scored his first finish in the octagon in emphatic fashion with a stunning walkoff knockout over Matt Schnell at UFC Vegas 87.

After a back-and-forth brawl in the opening round, Erceg figured out Schnell’s timing and distance as the second round got underway. Erceg went to the body with a right hand and then came back up top with a vicious left hook that snapped Scnhell’s head around and sent him crashing to the canvas in a heap.

The referee rushed in to stop the contest immediately with the end coming at just 26 seconds into the second round.

“It’s amazing,” Erceg said about the knockout. “He’s coming pretty hard, his hands do come down a lot when he’s swinging. I just felt there was a home where he was striking me.”

Erceg found success with his hands early in the fight as well but he also endured some wild exchanges with Schnell as the flyweights were both looking for the finish. Schnell was definitely wearing more damage on his face with a cut that had blood leaking down around his eye but that only got him more active when he was trading shots with Erceg on the feet.

There were a couple of moments where it looked like Erceg was taking over but then Schnell would back him off with a stiff shot that connected clean.

As the second round got started, Schnell stepped right back into the pocket again but this time Erceg was ready for him. He stepped into the final combination with the perfectly timed right hand to the body and then the left hook to the head at the same time that Schnell released the same punch — except his came up short.

It was an impressive finish for Erceg as he moves to 3-0 in the UFC and he’s gunning for a former champion in his next fight.

“There’s a guy coming off two losses. Brandon Moreno, I’m coming to look for that top five,” Erceg shouted. “Let’s just make it happen.”