The UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling has three major scalps under his belt. All three of Sterling’s title defenses came against former champions. His latest outing, at UFC 288, saw Sterling handily dispatch Henry Cejudo, after which number one contender Sean O’Malley entered the Octagon to declare his intent to capture Sterling’s title.
Aljamain Sterling recently appeared on The MMA Hour to accept the challenge, and declare that he wants O’Malley sooner rather than later. Much sooner, if the bantamweight champion has his way, hoping for a slot at the UFC event in Boston this August. Injuries permitting, of course.
UFC Bantamweight Champ Aljamain Sterling Wants Sean O’Malley Fight As Fast As Possible
“This would be the fastest turnaround, I would imagine, for a UFC champion. I’ll stand corrected, but I think Volkanovski was four, four and a half [months] from the Abu Dhabi card? We’d be neck and neck. It is quick.
In a perfect world, it wouldn’t. But at the end of the day, I’m an athlete. I’m a prize fighter at the end of the day. For me, I’m motivated by competition, and of course, the prize. Am I banged up? I’ve got some things. The usual. If I can start training next week, I think it’s possible. If I could start. I’ll just have to wait until next week.
I’ve got to get a couple X-rays still. I crushed my legs on Henry, smashing him. I didn’t care if I was going go kick his elbow, I didn’t care if I was going to kick his kneecap. I smashed my feet up pretty good on him. So both my feet are pretty swollen, left one is a lot worse, but it’s victory wounds, so it’s all good.”
Regardless of the timeline, Sterling is confident that he has the tools to take out Sean O’Malley. “What’s this guy going to do to me? Really?
I’m not trying to be disrespectful, it’s a subtle jab, but it’s the truth. It’s a fight, anything could happen. But at the end of the day, I think we all know what his kryptonite is, and it’s unproven in the octagon.
We’ve seen him one time on his back and he was like a fish out on land. ‘Chito’ [Marlon Vera] smashed him and sent him home. I think ‘Chito’ might have hit him one time, and his eyes rolled back in his head. That’s not a good sign.
He got hit one time and he was out, so it lets me have a little bit more confidence — I don’t think you can develop a chin over time. I hit him squarely, take him down, that’s fight is as good as over, probably in one.”
