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Aljamain Sterling on UFC 300 & Life Without Championship Gold

“Is it weird not having the belt?” asked Sterling. “That’s a great question.”

Justin Barrasso

Aljamain Sterling on UFC 300 & Life Without Championship Gold
Aljamain Sterling on UFC 300 & Life Without Championship Gold /

This past summer, Aljamain Sterling lost the UFC bantamweight title.

Sterling initially won the title amidst controversy–defeating Petr Yan by disqualification–in March of 2021, but removed any shred of doubt after a thorough defeat of Yan in the April 2022 rematch. Then, for the next 16 months, Sterling stood alone as the single best bantamweight in the world–and he had the belt to prove it.

Yet Sterling is no longer champ. Gold is no longer around his waist, and since losing to Sean O’Malley in August, he is no longer the face of the bantamweight division. Naturally, that can play with a fighter’s psyche, especially in a world where people are defined by their standing in the division.

“Is it weird not having the belt?” asked Sterling. “That’s a great question.”

Courtesy Zuffa LLC
Courtesy Zuffa LLC

Sterling makes his featherweight debut in the Octagon this April at UFC 300. He is starting anew in a heavier weight class, seeking to further cement his legacy–and win a new piece of gold.

“I don’t think a belt defines me,” said Sterling (23-4). “My career defines me. I’ve stepped in there with the toughest dudes. I don’t shy away from the toughest fights. That’s what defines me. But the belt is nice icing on the cake.”

Losing the title to O’Malley this past summer was a humbling defeat. Sterling had a clear advantage in his wrestling, but O’Malley was able to strike with him, and he landed a career-defining blow in the second round.

“I can’t believe I fell into the trap, but it’s not like I lost to a scrub,” said Sterling. “In hindsight, I could have been more patient. I was blinded by the potential dollar bills of what I thought it was going to be.”

With Sterling moving weight classes, it opens a new possibility for longtime friend and teammate Merab Dvalishvili to seize control of the bantamweight division. In order to get a title shot, Dvalishvili will need to defeat former bantamweight champion–and Olympic gold medalist–Henry Cejudo next month at UFC 298.

“He has to fight one more killer for a shot at the title,” said Sterling. “The division is a shark tank, and what he’s doing in that division is special. Henry Cejudo is great, but I think Merab has the right style to beat him. If he makes the most of that fight, he’ll be next in line for the title.”

While Sterling was champ, there was plenty of chatter that he and Dvalishvili refused to fight one another. That, as it turns out, is only partially true.

“The UFC never offered us a fight,” said Sterling. “I don’t know if we would have accepted, but they never gave him that opportunity. It was never on the table.”

Sterling has not been idle. He is staying as active as possible in the build to UFC 300, beginning last fall with a Polaris grappling bout where he defeated Mike Grundy. Then came the wild sight of his Fury Pro grappling bout at the end of December, when he lost to Kevin Dantzler in a farce of a contest.

Dantzler won by decision despite a performance that yielded no danger. Fighting from bottom position for the duration of the fight, Dantzler attempted an armbar and triangle attempt, yet neither presented any genuine threat of finishing Sterling.

“It’s frustrating because the sport won’t grow that way,” said Sterling. “Taking bottom position, accepting bottom position, starting bottom position–all terrible. At least I tried to make the match as exciting as I could.

“I want to test myself, so that’s why I’m doing this. I’m gearing myself up to fight against a tough opponent in Calvin Kattar.”

Prior to the bout against Kattar, one more grappling bout awaits Sterling. It takes place at the Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship card on January 19, serving as the main event of ADXC 2, and it will be fought at welterweight.

“I’m coming up from 135, and Chase Hooper is a bigger guy,” said Sterling. “He used to fight at 145, now he’s fighting at 155. He’s big, tall, and lanky, and I need to get used to those guys–the heavier, longer bodies, and guys who are a little more unorthodox. Sharpening my tools gives me an edge, and I’m having fun doing it.”

All of this peaks in April at UFC 300, when the 34-year-old Sterling steps into the Octagon as a featherweight for the first time. He did compete once before at featherweight, but that was in 2011, which was years prior to signing with the UFC.

Kattar represents a unique challenge. It is easy to overlook him, but Sterling knows that would be a grave mistake. Kattar (23-7) has lost three of his last four, yet his record in those fights is deceiving. He lost decisively to division standard-bearer Max Holloway in January of 2021, absolutely tore apart Gigi Chikadze a year later, then dropped a controversial decision to Josh Emmett in June of 2022.

Had Kattar been awarded that contest instead of Emmett by the judges, then he would have gone on to fight Yair Rodriguez for the interim title. Instead, Kattar was matched up against Arnold Allen that October, a fight where he tore his ACL.

“Calvin Kattar is tremendous,” said Sterling. “I have a lot of respect for him and what he’s accomplished. He’s coming off a weird loss because of his knee, I’m coming off a loss. He’s someone I trained with on the amateur scene.

“I always thought I’d fight Rob Font, but it’s funny, here I am fighting his teammate Calvin Kattar, someone I took a lot of inspiration from on the regional scene.”

Sterling is a fascinating addition to the featherweight division. If he defeats Kattar, the possibility exists for a bout against Holloway–or even a title fight against Alexander Volkanovski.

There is no guarantee that he will be a success in the new weight class, but Sterling is well-versed in overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds.

“I’m excited to start this new journey at 145 and see where I can go,” said Sterling. “This is a Cinderella story–I remember when I could barely fill my gas tank. I don’t have to worry about that anymore. I’m comfortable in my own skin, I’m excited to add to my legacy, and I’m looking to see how far I can take this thing.

“I don’t know what is going to happen next, but I can make one promise. I’m going to give it everything I’ve got until the wheels fall off.”

Published
Justin Barrasso
JUSTIN BARRASSO

Justin Barrasso has been writing for Sports Illustrated since 2014. While his primary focus is pro wrestling and MMA, he has also covered MLB, NBA, and the NFL. He can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com and followed on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.

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