Now that mixed martial arts (MMA) is legal in the state of New York — thanks to this — plenty of fighters on the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) roster are chomping at the bit to compete at the first-ever card in “The Empire State.”
Especially if it goes down in famed Madison Square Garden.
Perhaps the most eager bunch are fighters located in or around “The Big Apple,” like Aljamain Sterling. Though “Funk Master” would love nothing ore than to fight in New York, he isn’t going to wait around to see if he gets booked for what promises to be a “massive” event.
At the end of the day, though, Sterling says he needs to get paid now.
“I want to fight now. I need a fight now. The kid needs to get paid,” Sterling told MMA Junkie. “There’s bills to be paid, there’s people that need to get choked out, and there’s a belt that’s shining and I see the light. I want to go get after that.”
Not only does Aljamain need to get paid, he doesn’t want to run the risk of fading out of the limelight by being inactive.
“For me to wait and take my name out of relevancy for so long would be silly on my part,” he declared. But once he gets another fight in, he wants nothing more than to fight on the New York card.
“I’d rather get it in now and come out of the fight hopefully not too banged up and get ready for the next one, which would be (in Madison Square Garden) or wherever it is they’re going to hold the first UFC event in New York,” he concluded.
Sterling — who is undefeated (12-0, 4-0 UFC) — was last seen competing against Johnny Eduardo at UFC Fight Night 80 back in December, choking him out in the second round and giving him his third straight stoppage victory.
The talented Bantamweight signed a “lucrative” contract with UFC after briefly flirting with free agency last month.