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Aljamain Sterling thinks he’d have a strong case for an immediate featherweight title shot if he defends his bantamweight belt at UFC 288.
“Funk Master” most recently fought when he defended his title for the second time against former champion T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 280. That event also saw bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley score an upset victory over another former champion in Petr Yan, but in the aftermath of UFC 280 all signs began pointing towards Henry Cejudo as the next challenger for Sterling’s title.
“The Messenger” is a former two-division champion and retired following a bantamweight title defense at UFC 249, but the 36-year-old has continually teased a return during his time away from the sport. Originally rumored for UFC 285, it was eventually announced that Cejudo and Sterling would meet at UFC 288 in May.
Aljamain Sterling Proposes Featherweight Title Shot After UFC 288
Sterling has already suggested that he’ll be moving to featherweight at some point in the future, and on his YouTube channel, the 33year-old made it clear he’s ready to claim that division’s title.
Sterling defended his bantamweight title against T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 280. (Craig Kidwell/USA TODAY Sports)
“I think if I go out there and I smash Henry and I call for a title shot at ‘45, I guarantee they couldn’t deny me,” Sterling said. “I would have the most defenses at 135 in the UFC ever at the bantamweight division, and I think that goes a very long way. And then my résumé of the Top 5 people I’ve beaten just to even get here is just like, second to none. There’s no one else in the UFC that’s fought more Top 5 contenders than I have at 135. That is factual. Fought them and beat them, let me make sure I specify that.”
The featherweight division is currently ruled by Alexander Volkanovski, who recently came up short in his own attempt to win a second title when he lost to Islam Makhachev at UFC 284. That fight was just the second loss of the Australian’s career, and there’s already been considerable speculation that the UFC might book a rematch between him and Makhachev.
If Sterling does want to fight for the featherweight title, he’ll likely have to wait until Interim Featherweight Champion Yair Rodriguez gets a crack at Volkanovski first. “Funk Master” will also need to make good on his plan to “smash” Cejudo, which won’t be easy considering the former champion left the sport on a six-fight win streak that included defenses of both the UFC’s bantamweight and flyweight titles.
Do you think that Sterling would deserve an immediate featherweight title shot if he beats Cejudo convincingly at UFC 288?
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.
Aljamain Sterling thinks he’d have a strong case for an immediate featherweight title shot if he defends his bantamweight belt at UFC 288.
“Funk Master” most recently fought when he defended his title for the second time against former champion T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 280. That event also saw bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley score an upset victory over another former champion in Petr Yan, but in the aftermath of UFC 280 all signs began pointing towards Henry Cejudo as the next challenger for Sterling’s title.
“The Messenger” is a former two-division champion and retired following a bantamweight title defense at UFC 249, but the 36-year-old has continually teased a return during his time away from the sport. Originally rumored for UFC 285, it was eventually announced that Cejudo and Sterling would meet at UFC 288 in May.
Aljamain Sterling Proposes Featherweight Title Shot After UFC 288
Sterling has already suggested that he’ll be moving to featherweight at some point in the future, and on his YouTube channel, the 33year-old made it clear he’s ready to claim that division’s title.
Sterling defended his bantamweight title against T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 280. (Craig Kidwell/USA TODAY Sports)
“I think if I go out there and I smash Henry and I call for a title shot at ‘45, I guarantee they couldn’t deny me,” Sterling said. “I would have the most defenses at 135 in the UFC ever at the bantamweight division, and I think that goes a very long way. And then my résumé of the Top 5 people I’ve beaten just to even get here is just like, second to none. There’s no one else in the UFC that’s fought more Top 5 contenders than I have at 135. That is factual. Fought them and beat them, let me make sure I specify that.”
The featherweight division is currently ruled by Alexander Volkanovski, who recently came up short in his own attempt to win a second title when he lost to Islam Makhachev at UFC 284. That fight was just the second loss of the Australian’s career, and there’s already been considerable speculation that the UFC might book a rematch between him and Makhachev.
If Sterling does want to fight for the featherweight title, he’ll likely have to wait until Interim Featherweight Champion Yair Rodriguez gets a crack at Volkanovski first. “Funk Master” will also need to make good on his plan to “smash” Cejudo, which won’t be easy considering the former champion left the sport on a six-fight win streak that included defenses of both the UFC’s bantamweight and flyweight titles.
Do you think that Sterling would deserve an immediate featherweight title shot if he beats Cejudo convincingly at UFC 288?
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.
Click here to view the article.
“Funk Master” most recently fought when he defended his title for the second time against former champion T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 280. That event also saw bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley score an upset victory over another former champion in Petr Yan, but in the aftermath of UFC 280 all signs began pointing towards Henry Cejudo as the next challenger for Sterling’s title.
“The Messenger” is a former two-division champion and retired following a bantamweight title defense at UFC 249, but the 36-year-old has continually teased a return during his time away from the sport. Originally rumored for UFC 285, it was eventually announced that Cejudo and Sterling would meet at UFC 288 in May.
Aljamain Sterling Proposes Featherweight Title Shot After UFC 288
Sterling has already suggested that he’ll be moving to featherweight at some point in the future, and on his YouTube channel, the 33year-old made it clear he’s ready to claim that division’s title.
Sterling defended his bantamweight title against T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 280. (Craig Kidwell/USA TODAY Sports)
“I think if I go out there and I smash Henry and I call for a title shot at ‘45, I guarantee they couldn’t deny me,” Sterling said. “I would have the most defenses at 135 in the UFC ever at the bantamweight division, and I think that goes a very long way. And then my résumé of the Top 5 people I’ve beaten just to even get here is just like, second to none. There’s no one else in the UFC that’s fought more Top 5 contenders than I have at 135. That is factual. Fought them and beat them, let me make sure I specify that.”
The featherweight division is currently ruled by Alexander Volkanovski, who recently came up short in his own attempt to win a second title when he lost to Islam Makhachev at UFC 284. That fight was just the second loss of the Australian’s career, and there’s already been considerable speculation that the UFC might book a rematch between him and Makhachev.
If Sterling does want to fight for the featherweight title, he’ll likely have to wait until Interim Featherweight Champion Yair Rodriguez gets a crack at Volkanovski first. “Funk Master” will also need to make good on his plan to “smash” Cejudo, which won’t be easy considering the former champion left the sport on a six-fight win streak that included defenses of both the UFC’s bantamweight and flyweight titles.
Do you think that Sterling would deserve an immediate featherweight title shot if he beats Cejudo convincingly at UFC 288?
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.
Aljamain Sterling thinks he’d have a strong case for an immediate featherweight title shot if he defends his bantamweight belt at UFC 288.
“Funk Master” most recently fought when he defended his title for the second time against former champion T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 280. That event also saw bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley score an upset victory over another former champion in Petr Yan, but in the aftermath of UFC 280 all signs began pointing towards Henry Cejudo as the next challenger for Sterling’s title.
“The Messenger” is a former two-division champion and retired following a bantamweight title defense at UFC 249, but the 36-year-old has continually teased a return during his time away from the sport. Originally rumored for UFC 285, it was eventually announced that Cejudo and Sterling would meet at UFC 288 in May.
Aljamain Sterling Proposes Featherweight Title Shot After UFC 288
Sterling has already suggested that he’ll be moving to featherweight at some point in the future, and on his YouTube channel, the 33year-old made it clear he’s ready to claim that division’s title.
“I think if I go out there and I smash Henry and I call for a title shot at ‘45, I guarantee they couldn’t deny me,” Sterling said. “I would have the most defenses at 135 in the UFC ever at the bantamweight division, and I think that goes a very long way. And then my résumé of the Top 5 people I’ve beaten just to even get here is just like, second to none. There’s no one else in the UFC that’s fought more Top 5 contenders than I have at 135. That is factual. Fought them and beat them, let me make sure I specify that.”
The featherweight division is currently ruled by Alexander Volkanovski, who recently came up short in his own attempt to win a second title when he lost to Islam Makhachev at UFC 284. That fight was just the second loss of the Australian’s career, and there’s already been considerable speculation that the UFC might book a rematch between him and Makhachev.
If Sterling does want to fight for the featherweight title, he’ll likely have to wait until Interim Featherweight Champion Yair Rodriguez gets a crack at Volkanovski first. “Funk Master” will also need to make good on his plan to “smash” Cejudo, which won’t be easy considering the former champion left the sport on a six-fight win streak that included defenses of both the UFC’s bantamweight and flyweight titles.
Do you think that Sterling would deserve an immediate featherweight title shot if he beats Cejudo convincingly at UFC 288?
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.
Click here to view the article.
