UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling is set to defend his 135-pound title at UFC 280 this weekend, but he knows his days in the weight class are numbered. At 33 years old, Sterling has spent virtually his entire life cutting weight, and told The Fighter Vs The Writer that a move up to featherweight is inevitable.
“It’s just getting harder for me to make this weight. Even for me to stay consistently under 160 in a training camp is really, really hard. I’ve really got to dial it in these next two weeks, and waking up at 155, because that’s the next stage, and then I’ve got the next stage waking up at 152, 150, so it kind of takes away from my training, and I do think it takes away from my cardio a bit when I do get there on fight night.
Sterling Teases Featherweight Move
That’s why I try to go as hard as I can in the room, so I’m as prepared as I possibly can be so hopefully that’s enough so even with the drop off, I can still make up for it just with mental toughness kind of thing.”
Another factor in a potential move to featherweight is Sterling’s friendship with fellow bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili, whose surge through the rankings has put him on a collision course with the champ. Dvalishvili and Sterling train together, and their friendship is more important than any MMA matchup.
“You won’t have Aljamain Sterling here without a training partner like Merab, and I don’t think you have Merab without a training partner like myself. I help him with training camps, he helps me. We go over tape. We bounce ideas off of each other. We both moved to the same block in Las Vegas.
People can say whatever they want. Obviously, you never had any real friends, so I think that’s pretty much what it comes down to.
To have a guy like that you can train with and lean on, and who’s super reliable when it comes to giving the extra workouts and just being super selfless in a very selfish sport. It’s nice to have. I think that’s what makes us so close, because anything I need he’s there, anything he needs from me, I’m there.
Even when I’m banged up, I’m still letting the guy beat up on me so that he can get the work in that he needs. I think it just goes to show you how well-respected we both feel in terms of both of our skillsets.”
How do you think Aljo will fare at 145 pounds? Let us know in the comments.
