Aljamain Sterling describes what it was like to have a post-UFC 306 party with UFC heavyweight champ Jon Jones
Aljamain Sterling describes partying with HW Champ Jon Jones ahead of his long-awaited return at UFC 309 pay-per-view this November.
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Aljamain Sterling describes what it was like to party with Jon Jones (Source: IMAGO/X)
After Merab Dvalishvili’s UFC 306 title win over Sean O’Malley, he and his teammate Aljamain Sterling went out to celebrate. The Serra-Longo Fight and Weidman team lineup soon bumped into the familiar face of Jon Jones. Jones has been on a long layoff but attended the Noche card for his UFC 309 pay-per-view announcement.
With the UFC recently announcing Jon Jones’ title fight against Stipe Miocic, his partying days are reeling in. However, ‘Bones’ had one last Noche dance ahead of his UFC 309 PPV in November. Aljamain Sterling recently sat down with Dave Schmulenson – The Schmo of the ‘TheSchmozone’ Podcast after his own pullout. Given Jones’ notoriety of unlawful run-ins, Aljo weighed in on the face-to-face.
[It was] short, very short…[Jones] He came over just to show some love to Merab the new champ and to say what’s up to myself as well and then I went to the bathroom and went over to his section and it was cool, we got to chop it up a little bit…I won’t speak on what he was doing but I was partying a little bit, so...Aljamain Sterling to The Schmo (@theschmo312) for the @theschmozone Podcast
Jones and ‘Funkmaster’ went to college together, and Jones is all credit for introducing Sterling to MMA. Team Jackson’s MMA Acoma obviously has had a more dominating presence in UFC competition. But Aljamain Sterling has lived to his own ‘Funk’, even making a historic reign as a 135-pound champ. With just a few months to go before his likely retirement bout, it’s not clear if Jones was having a hurrah or just avoiding a rough night. Aljo assures otherwise.
UFC CEO Dana White caught wind that ‘Bones’ would hit the Vegas Strip, following the monumental Noche PPV, which made him a little edgy, given Jones’ partying history. His hit-and-run, DWI arrests, and other stuff aside, Jones was arrested soon after his HOF appearance. So he and “Sin City” don’t go well together. However, the fighter maintains he is razor-sharp. Even old rivals remain in awe of his domination.
Daniel Cormier: Jon Jones, Alex Pereira could be just two UFC champions who totally move the pin
This double-branded Noche pay-per-view, otherwise UFC 306 saw Sean O’Malley lose his bantamweight gold, to Georgian superstar and Aljamain Sterling’s friend Merab Dvalishvili. He beat O’Malley by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46) to earn title gold. After this, much of his social media branding and quirky fan-fave personality came under fire.
Once a Best Fighter ESPY recipient, the striking clinic specialist soon wore down to normal levels. Veteran and UFC micsman Daniel Cormier presented that there aren’t too many big pay-per-view stars in the UFC right now – except two. Those are Jon Jones and LHW Champ Alex Pereira.
Jones maintains his longtime pound-for-pound worth even in absence. Meanwhile, the Brazilian and his knockout aura has proven to be a brand value champ, with more title bout appearances than normal billings. The Brazilian is also a top bill for non-domestic streamers as well as domestic ones at ESPN platforms (ESPN+, Hulu SVOD, ESPN & ESPN Deportes). Cormier recently sounded off on Pereira and his old rival.
Is there a void of that big star? Because right now it feels like only Jon Jones and Pereira, …Pereira and Jon Jones might be the only two champions right now that are completely moving the needle…He will sell pay-per-views. Alex Pereira, under right circumstances, will sell pay-per-views…Zhang Weili, the ’25-pound champion…the Brazilian Pantoja; Dvalishvili; Ilia Topuria; Islam Makhachev; Belal Muhammad…hard to be a long-reigning champion.Daniel Cormier via ‘Good Guy/Bad Guy’ Show (@ESPNMMA) for ESPN2/ESPNPodcenter
Co-host Chael Sonnen believes O’Malley needs that rematch because even in loss he’s proving to be a big needle-moving name. Aside from the sport’s biggest star, Conor McGregor, Cormier believes it takes a long title reign to be a draw. He points to the likes of Jones, who reigned supreme in the LHW division.
Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) defends his heavyweight title in the UFC 309 pay-per-view main event at Madison Square Garden in New York. Should he get past Miocic, UFC Record book will have another indomitable title win stat to his name. Meanwhile, Pereira (11-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) will defend his strap in a third calendar appearance at UFC 307.
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