Aljamain Sterling: Sean O'Malley "Probably My Last Fight at Bantamweight"
UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling is firm on his decision to move up to featherweight after his UFC 292 showdown with Sean O'Malley on August 19. "Funk Master" revealed his plans in an interview with Chamatkar Sandhu on June 14.
"[UFC 292] is probably my last fight at bantamweight .... [even if] I didn't get my hand raised, it damn sure [isn't] because of Sean O'Malley running me out of the division. This s*** is getting old, man; it hurts .... It's the weight cut."
This news reaffirms comments made by Sterling back before his UFC 288 bout with Henry Cejudo. During an interview with InsideFighting on April 11, Sterling confirmed his plans to move up after "one or two" more fights at bantamweight:
"One [or] two. I think two [more fights at bantamweight] at the most .... and then It'll be up to featherweight and we'll see how I do with these guys over there."
Sterling moving to featherweight would open the gates for an Alexander Volkanovski super fight, a fight in which Sterling's coach Matt Serra firmly believes Sterling could win.
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is one of the most dominant fighters in UFC history.
RELATED: Aljamain Sterling Would "Break The Jaw" of Alexander Volkanovski, Ex-UFC Champ Claims
Appearing in the May 30 episode of "The Schaub Show", former-UFC welterweight champion Serra made some bold predictions on the hypothetical matchup:
"“Aljamain with his arms, they’re wiry, I believe if he doesn’t get the neck, he’ll break the jaw. If he get’s [Volkanovski’s] back, he’s finishing .... that's a winnable fight. No disrespect, I like Volkanovski a lot.”
A featherweight super fight between Sterling and Volkanovski would be a monumental showdown between two of the sport's most dominant champions. This era of champions facing off against each other is truly a treat for fight fans
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