Former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling will look to blast his way into featherweight title contention when he collides with No. 6-ranked Movsar Evloev as part of the upcoming UFC 307 pay-per-view (PPV) event, scheduled for Sat., Oct. 5, 2024 from inside Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Assuming Evloev doesn’t flunk his pre-fight drug test.
”From what I’ve heard through the grapevine, he’s not a clean athlete,” Sterling said in an interview with Home of Fight (transcribed by MMA Junkie). “People can say whatever, ‘You have no proof.’ I’m like, ‘Dude, same thing people were saying about T.J. Dillashaw from years ago and teaching people how to do it.’ Cody Garbrandt calling him out at the press conference and everyone sweeping it under the rug, telling T.J. direct to his face that you taught everyone at the gym how to do it.”
Sterling has no evidence of cheating and Evloev has never failed a drug test.
“Those conversations are not very different from what I’ve had about Movsar, and I think where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” Sterling continued. “Do I have any hard evidence? Like, did I see the guy stick a needle up his ass? No. Did he pop for anything yet? No, maybe he never will. But at the end of the day, only him and his consciousness will know if he’s truly a clean athlete or not. I truly do believe he knows he’s cheating. I think I’m going to beat that ass no matter where it goes. That’s just my humble opinion and may the best man win.”
Sterling (24-4) dropped the 135-pound title to Sean O’Malley at UFC 292 back in summer 2023, but was already contemplating a trip north before coughing up his bantamweight crown. “Funk Master” made his featherweight debut with a unanimous decision win over Boston bruiser Calvin Kattar at UFC 300 last April.
As for Evloev (18-0), he kept his perfect record intact by capturing a unanimous decision victory over Arnold Allen at UFC 297 in Toronto. The only knock against the Russian wrestler is that all eight of his wins under the UFC banner have come by way of decision, though he did manage to bag “Fight of the Night” at UFC 288 in Newark.
For the rest of the UFC 307 fight card and PPV lineup click here.