UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling already boasts multiple records. He has the most wins in the division, at 14, and the record for most title defenses at bantamweight.
Ahead of fourth consecutive title defense this weekend, against challenger Sean O’Malley, Sterling may well secure his place in the eternal MMA GOAT debate.
Will UFC 292 Make Aljamain Sterling The UFC Bantamweight GOAT?
Although Aljamain Sterling earned the title with arguably the most controversial win in UFC history – thanks to Petr Yan disqualifying himself with an illegal knee to Sterling’s head – UFC analyst Alan Jouban believes Sterling has done more than enough to secure his place as the sport’s finest bantamweight.
“This isn’t a hard one for me. With a win over O’Malley, he 1,000 percent becomes the GOAT of that division.
Even with a loss, I saw Jon Anik was talking about this all week and I said let me look into this, but you look at the resume, you look at the guys that he beat, the names that he beat at a time when this is the hottest division in the UFC.
We’re not comparing times with this division when nobody was watching. This is the time, this is the hottest division in the UFC right now with all these killers and he’s the guy with the belt around his waist.
How is he not the greatest of all time in this division?” Jouban continued, citing Sterling’s fan-unfriendly approach to decision wins.
“The only thing really that I strongly feel people don’t give him the credit is the path to victory because a lot of times he’ll go to decision, he’ll ride guys out.
If he was knocking guys out, they’d probably see it differently but at the end of the day, it’s not who’s the more fan friendly fighter? Who got more knockouts or more submissions?
It’s about the green or the red and the name next to it and he’s got more green against more former champions and big names than anybody in the division, while the division is hotter in the UFC than it’s ever been.”
Jouban continued, pointing out that this weekend’s fight is a great matchup for Sterling, at least on paper, which should give the champ reason to worry.
“Nobody’s picking O’Malley because it’s a horrible matchup for O’Malley. That’s what makes me nervous for Aljo. Because he’s been the dog for so long and he’s been getting the hate for so long that he’s become accustomed to it. Let me prove them wrong […]
When I think about this matchup, who’s the most comparable person in the UFC to Sean O’Malley in that division? Would probably be Cory Sandhagen.
Terrific striker, long guy, moves well, switches stances, has a lot of feints. What happened when Cory Sandhagen fought Aljamain Sterling? It did not go good for Sandhagen, so how can you not lean for Aljo?”
