Former UFC Champ Hints at Short Notice Fight at UFC 296
Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling has registered his interest in fighting Josh Emmett at UFC 296 on December 16.
After Giga Chikadze had to withdraw from the fight on December 5 due to a torn groin, Emmett found himself without an opponent. As the 6th ranked contender in the featherweight division, he reached out to the rest of the roster:
Many names were brought up to Emmett, including Edson Barboza, Diego Lopes and Bryce Mitchell, but one former champion nominated himself for the bout.
Sterling reposted Emmett's call to action and followed up with a post of his own:
"I just weighed out at 166.6lbs," Sterling remarked. "[Just saying], [featherweight funk.]"
Sterling's reported weight falls somewhere between the lightweight and welterweight divisions. However, it is evident that "Funk" is confident in his ability to shed the required 20lbs in order to make his featherweight debut within the next ten days.
Although it's not as high-profile as Sterling's callout of Max Holloway, it still holds significance. Considering Sterling's previous championship status and Emmett's ranking, a win in this fight would put him in strong contention for a shot at the title.
The featherweight title is up for grabs in the main event of UFC 297 in February 2024. Alexander Volkanovski will defend his throne against the young, hungry Ilia Topuria in a match that has the potential to turn the whole division on its head.
If Sterling can carve a route to the featherweight championship by beating Emmett and then the winner of Volkanovski vs. Topuria, he'll certainly etch his name in the annals of UFC history.
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