“I’d like to avoid,” Aljamain Sterling wants to stay clear of THIS featherweight despite ‘double champ’ ambitions

Bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling wants to move up to compete for the featherweight title. However, he will not fight one particular fighter due to friendship.

“I’d like to avoid,” Aljamain Sterling wants to stay clear of THIS featherweight despite ‘double champ’ ambitions

Aljamain Sterling will not fight one particular fighter in the featherweight division (Image Courtesy - MMA Underground)

Aljamain Sterling solidified his spot as the greatest bantamweight champion after defeating Henry Cejudo at UFC 287. Sterling landed the more significant strikes in the bout to win a split decision in Newark, New Jersey. “The Funk Master” will face Sean O’Malley for his next title defense. Sterling has plans to challenge for the featherweight title. However, he will stay away from Ilia Topuria for the sake of friendship.

Megan Olivi of ESPN MMA interviewed Sterling about his future ambitions. Aljamain Sterling talked about the challenge of Cejudo and his desire to compete in the featherweight division. He mentioned the name of Ilia Topuria and vowed to stay away from him. Sterling said, “I look at some of these other guys at 145, and I train with them, I feel good about it. Of course, you’ve got another Georgian hammer in Ilia Topuria. I know him and Merab are really good friends. That’s one I’d like to avoid, for the sake of that friendship that they have. And we’ve hung out a couple times, (Topuria is a) really cool guy.”

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Aljamain Sterling will fight Sean O’Malley for the Boston PPV card. Sterling is ready to vacate the title after the fight with O’Malley. In the meantime, he hopes his best friend, Merab Dvalishvili, will win the title. Sterling and Merab have refused to fight each other multiple times. However, Merab can fight for the title once Sterling vacates the title.

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Sterling respects the friendly relationship between Merab and Ilia Topuria. Both fighters come from Georgia, and Sterling will avoid the Topuria fight due to his connection with the country of Georgia. However, Sterling will happily compete against Alexander Volkanovski if he passes Sean O’Malley at the Boston PPV card.

Related: “Send me that money,” Aljamain Sterling receives special ‘Fight of The Night’ bonus from fans who bet on him at UFC 288

Aljamain Sterling aims to capture the featherweight title

Aljamain Sterling
Bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling (Image via The US Sun)

Aljamain Sterling has the most wins in the bantamweight division. He defended his belt thrice since capturing the title in 2021 via disqualification against Petr Yan at UFC 259. Sterling became the first UFC bantamweight champion to defend the title consecutively.

After establishing an everlasting legacy in the bantamweight division, Sterling plans to fight for the featherweight title. He said, “I plan on fighting O’Malley, then going up and chasing Volkanovski. I am taking Henry’s blueprint. I just need to get one more. Then I think that’s it for 135.” Cejudo initially planned to defeat Sterling and move up to the 145-pound division to challenge Volkanovksi. However, Sterling plans to do it instead.

Sterling has plans to reign as the double champion in the UFC. However, he will need to defeat O’Malley at the Boston PPV card and successfully challenge Volkanovski for the title. The road is difficult, but, Sterling is motivated for the challenge.

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