Aljamain Sterling, the former UFC bantamweight champion, recently revealed an intriguing proposition from UFC President Dana White. Before his ill-fated showdown with Sean O’Malley, White promised Sterling that if he defeated O’Malley, he could move up to the featherweight division (145 pounds) and challenge the reigning champion, Alexander Volkanovski.
Unfortunately for Sterling, things didn’t go as planned. He suffered a knockout loss to O’Malley at UFC 292, which dashed his hopes of an immediate title shot against Volkanovski. Despite the setback, Sterling remains confident in his abilities and believes he still has what it takes to compete with the best in the featherweight division.
Aljamain Sterling’s Self-Assessment
In his own words, Aljamain Sterling stated, “I really do think back then, that version of myself, obviously that version that fought Sean [O’Malley] wasn’t the best version of me. But, I’m saying back then I think I was skilled enough, and I think I still am skilled enough to compete with a guy like Volkanovski. Just based on the size, I think I have the size to compete with him, I think I have the strength to compete with him, and I think I have the skillset to compete with him”.
While the missed opportunity was disappointing, Sterling’s move to featherweight has already shown promise. His dominant unanimous decision win over Calvin Kattar at UFC 300 catapulted him into the featherweight rankings, where he currently sits at No. 8. With this newfound momentum Sterling could potentially face other top contenders like Josh Emmett, Arnold Allen, and Movsar Evloev in the near future.
Although the dream matchup with Volkanovski didn’t materialize, Aljamain Sterling remains a force to be reckoned with in the featherweight division. Fans can only wonder what might have been, but Sterling’s determination and skillset continue to make him a compelling contender in the UFC.