It looks like a pivotal bantamweight bout between Aljamain Sterling and Cory Sandhagen is in the works for next month.
As the UFC resumes its fight schedule this weekend, plans are in motion for future events as well. One of those events is on June 6 and according to ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, the promotion is hoping for it to take place at the UFC Apex Center in Las Vegas though nothing is finalized as of yet.
With the event being a month away, not much has been finalized about the card in general other than reports stating that Amanda Nunes would defend her women’s featherweight title against Felicia Spencer.
However, it appears a fight between Sterling and Sandhagen is also slated for that show according to Helwani. He adds that it is currently being discussed with nothing signed right now.
“I reported Tuesday that the UFC is hoping the June 6 card will be able to take place at the Apex in Las Vegas, but it hasn’t been finalized yet because the Nevada State Athletic Commission isn’t up and running,” Helwani wrote on ESPN. “Nevada opening up would be a gift from above for the UFC because it would be easier running all the events there, and I suspect whenever Nevada opens for business many events will take place.
“Amazingly, that card is a month away and we still don’t know what the main event will be. Will it be Amanda Nunes vs. Felicia Spencer, or something bigger? One fight that has been discussed for that card is Aljamain Sterling vs. Cory Sandhagen, which is a potential No. 1 contender fight at 135, but it hasn’t been signed yet.”
Sterling is on a four-fight winning streak and has also won six of his last seven outings. He last outpointed Pedro Munhoz. Sandhagen, meanwhile, is 5-0 with the UFC and is coming off a huge win over Raphael Assuncao.
With both fighters having a claim for the next title shot, it is entirely possible that the winner of this fight faces the winner of this weekend’s UFC 249 co-headliner between Henry Cejudo and Dominick Cruz.
Then again, nothing is guaranteed when it comes to the bantamweight division.
Who do you think wins in a Sterling vs. Sandhagen fight?