Tag: Aljamain Sterling

Sean O’Malley expects to land pound for pound number one slot with UFC 292 title win: ‘I hop the line’

Sean O'Malley calls for pound for pound top spot at UFC 292 I hop the lineSlated to headline UFC 292 next month in his premiere championship outing under the banner of the promotion, surging bantamweight contender, Sean O’Malley claims with a victory over current division champion, Aljamain Sterling – he should be catapulted to the number one rank in the official pound-for-pound rankings. O’Malley, the current number two ranked bantamweight […]

Sean O'Malley calls for pound for pound top spot at UFC 292 I hop the line

Slated to headline UFC 292 next month in his premiere championship outing under the banner of the promotion, surging bantamweight contender, Sean O’Malley claims with a victory over current division champion, Aljamain Sterling – he should be catapulted to the number one rank in the official pound-for-pound rankings.

O’Malley, the current number two ranked bantamweight contender, has been sidelined since he co-headlined UFC 280 back in October of last year, landing a close, unanimous decision win over former undisputed champion and common-opponent, Petr Yan.

In the midst of a five-fight undefeated steak, Dana White’s Contender Series product, O’Malley is slated to compete for Octagon spoils for the first time during his UFC tenure – taking on the aforenoted, Sterling in August at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.

Sean O’Malley believes he should land P4P top spot with UFC 292 title win

And remaining supremely confident of success against the dominant titleholder, Sterling, O’Malley also maintains that if he topples the Uniondale favorite in August, he should receive the number one rank in the official pound-for-pound list.

“What’s Aljo (Aljamain Sterling) ranked pound-for-pound? He’s gotta be up,” Sean O’Malley said on his podcast. “Top five right? He’s gotta be. Volk (Alexander Volkanovski) and Izzy (Israel Adesanya) are definitely up there. Jon Jones. Aljo’s defended the belt. I mean, who else has really been defending the belt that much? Leon (Edwards) defended it once. Jamahal Hill hasn’t had a chance to defend it. Izzy’s obviously up there. Islam (Makhachev) , definitely up there.”

“I feel like you gotta give Aljo above Charles (Oliveira), just considering he’s champ and he’s defended the belt three times,” Sean O’Malley continued. “Number seven best pound-for-pound in the world? I win, I go straight to number one. I hop the line, you know what I do, baby. I win. I’m f*cking number one. You’ve seen that sh*t before. Watch me go from not ranked pound-for-pound – number one.” (H/T MMA Mania)

Sean O’Malley believes Henry Cejudo is done in the UFC: ‘He tried to come back, no one really cared’

Henry CejudoNo. 2 ranked bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley doesn’t expect to see Henry Cejudo back in the Octagon ever again. ‘Triple C’ made a comeback at UFC 288 on May 6, challenging reigning 135-pound king Aljamain Sterling in an entertaining main event matchup. After 25 minutes of closely contested action, Sterling escaped with his title intact […]

Henry Cejudo

No. 2 ranked bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley doesn’t expect to see Henry Cejudo back in the Octagon ever again.

‘Triple C’ made a comeback at UFC 288 on May 6, challenging reigning 135-pound king Aljamain Sterling in an entertaining main event matchup. After 25 minutes of closely contested action, Sterling escaped with his title intact via a split decision. Immediately following the fight, an understandably dejected Cejudo seemed ready to resume his retirement before signing on the dotted line for a fight with division standout Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera at UFC 292 in August.

Unfortunately, that fight is no longer on the docket as a shoulder injury has seemingly sidelined Cejudo for the next six-to-eight weeks.

During a recent episode of his Timbo Sugar Show podcast on YouTube, Sean O’Malley suggested that fans have seen the last of Henry Cejudo inside the Octagon following his failed attempt to regain the bantamweight world title and subsequent injury.

“I think Henry is done. Done, he’s retired, he’s not coming back,” O’Malley said. “He tried to come back, no one really cared. He got paid a little bit of money. I don’t think (he’ll be back). A shoulder injury, so that must have been pretty bad if he couldn’t fight. And he’s already 36, right? Something like that” (h/t MMA News).

Sean O’Malley Looks to Accomplish What Henry Cejudo Could Not

Sean O’Malley will be in action on August 19 when the promotion heads back to Boston for UFC 292. ‘Sugar’ will step into the main event spotlight as he challenges Aljamain Sterling for the bantamweight crown. O’Malley earned his first title opportunity with a split decision win over former champion Petr Yan in October. By the time O’Malley attempts to cash in, it will have been nearly a year removed from his last appearance inside the Octagon.

During that same timeframe, Aljamain Sterling will have stepped into the cage for the third time come UFC 292, having already defeated former champions T.J. Dillashaw and Henry Cejudo. His UFC 288 scrap with ‘Triple C’ will have only been in the books for three months by the time he goes toe-to-toe with Sean O’Malley in Beantown.

Aljamain Sterling dubs Henry Cejudo a ‘dirty little weasel’ after pulling out of UFC 292 fight with ‘Chito’ Vera

Aljamain SterlingAljamain Sterling and Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera delivered very different reactions to Henry Cejudo’s UFC 292 withdrawal. After coming up short in his return to the Octagon against the ‘Funk Master’ in May, Cejudo was scheduled for a scrap with rising bantamweight contender Marlon Vera on August 19. Unfortunately, that bout is no longer on the […]

Aljamain Sterling

Aljamain Sterling and Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera delivered very different reactions to Henry Cejudo’s UFC 292 withdrawal.

After coming up short in his return to the Octagon against the ‘Funk Master’ in May, Cejudo was scheduled for a scrap with rising bantamweight contender Marlon Vera on August 19. Unfortunately, that bout is no longer on the cards after ‘Triple C’ announced his withdrawal due to a shoulder injury. “Unfortunately, I won’t be able to compete on Aug 19 at UFC 292,” Cejudo posted on Twitter. “I have a tear in my right shoulder that requires rehab. I wish I could’ve got in there w/ Chito, but I won’t be able to make a full recovery in time.”

Cejudo’s slated opponent was the first to react, delivering a brief but poignant six-second clip with two very simple words; “Well… F*ck.”

Aljamain Sterling Slams Henry Cejudo in Scathing YouTube Rant

Aljamain Sterling on the other hand was much more animated in his response to Cejudo’s withdrawal, calling the self-proclaimed savage nothing more than a “dirty little weasel.”

“Henry Cejudo is out of this fight. The savage. You remember that, guys? The savage? Texting Dana saying that, ‘If that little p*ssy doesn’t want to fight, I’ll take the fight,’ Sterling said on his YouTube channel. “Isn’t it funny how the roles are reversed now and this little savage is no longer a savage? Very interesting, and for me, I call that being a dirty little weasel” (h/t MiddleEasy).

‘Funk Master’ wasn’t quite done, taking one more dig at Cejudo.

“You look like an ass clown trying to pretend to be something that you’re not,” Sterling said.

Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo previously squared off at UFC 288 on May 6 with the bantamweight world championship on the line. ‘Funk Master’ secured a split decision to retain his title leaving an understandably dejected Cejudo once again contemplating retirement. Less than 24 hours later, ‘Triple C’ opted to keep marching forward and accept another fight. He was ultimately matched up with ‘Chito’ Vera. Cejudo has also expressed an interest in facing Sterling’s close friend Merab Dvalishvili inside the Octagon.

Aljamain Sterling compares Dana White to an estranged father: ‘I’m gonna show you motherf*cker’

Aljamain SterlingReigning bantamweight world champion Aljamain Sterling has grown increasingly aggravated by the perceived lack of respect he has received from his employer. Sterling is set to defend his title against No. 2 ranked contender Sean O’Malley when he returns to the Octagon at UFC 292 on August 19. It will be his fourth defense of […]

Aljamain Sterling

Reigning bantamweight world champion Aljamain Sterling has grown increasingly aggravated by the perceived lack of respect he has received from his employer.

Sterling is set to defend his title against No. 2 ranked contender Sean O’Malley when he returns to the Octagon at UFC 292 on August 19. It will be his fourth defense of the 135-pound crown after taking the title from former champ Petr Yan following a somewhat controversial disqualification when ‘No Mercy’ threw a blatantly illegal knee while Sterling was down. Since then, Sterling has been vilified by MMA fans, suggesting that his Oscar-worthy acting is what secured the win by DQ and not the blow itself.

‘Funk Master’ went on to successfully defend the title against Yan in a rematch little more than a year removed from their first meeting, but the win did next to nothing in terms of earning him respect from fans or the promotion. Appearing on BS with Jake Paul, Aljamain Sterling spoke about his rivalry with Yan, suggesting that the UFC had all their bantamweight hopes riding on a guy who, according to Sterling, just isn’t that good.

“I felt like the UFC had him as this f*cking golden goose that was gonna make all these eggs for them,” Sterling said. “And I don’t know, I was like, ‘Dude, he’s not as good as you guys think.’”

Since closing out his duology with Yan, Aljamain Sterling has moved on to defending his title against two other former bantamweight champions, T.J. Dillashaw and Henry Cejudo. Despite walking away with his hand raised against two of the best, ‘Funk Master’ still feels like his accomplishments are not being recognized by his boss. Sterling even likened it to a kid trying to impress his estranged father during his conversation with Jake Paul.

“I almost feel like maybe the UFC is almost like my pappy, you know. So I look at them like my dad, where I almost feel like I need to prove something to pops, to be like, ‘Oh yeah, you think this, ‘I’m gonna show you motherf*cker,’ for me” (h/t BloodyElbow).

Aljamain Sterling Unimpressed with Sean O’Malley’s Unorthodox Training Methods Ahead of UFC 292

Aljamain Sterling sees the entire process starting again as he goes into his main event clash with Sean O’Malley. ‘Sugar’ is undoubtedly one of the most popular acts in all of mixed martial arts. The kind of act the UFC would love to parade around as a world champion. That puts Sterling in another position where he feels like the UFC is working against him.

‘Funk Master’ is also fairly unimpressed with O’Malley’s training regimen which has routinely seen the fighter drinking, smoking, and utilizing some fairly unorthodox methods when it comes to preparing for a fight.

“This is what gets me going,” he said. “This is what gets me up in the morning and this is what gets me in the gym and push those hours. This, there’s times when I do these shark tank drills – I’ll do eight rounds. 

“Like, this is the type of mentality, and this type of warfare that I’m preparing for when I go into these fights. Like, I come in ready, and (O’Malley is) doing all this f*cking weird hippie breathing into a balloon bullsh*t.”

How do you see Aljamain Sterling vs. Sean O’Malley playing out when the promotion heads back to Boston?

Aljamain Sterling reflects on rivalry with ex-UFC champion Petr Yan: ‘He’s not as good as you guys think’

Aljamain Sterling claims Petr Yan is not that good UFC rivalryReigning bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling claims former foe, Petr Yan, is not as good as some would believe. Sterling, for a person who has never done anything malicious, is not all that well received by some of the MMA fanbase. It seems to have all stemmed from how he won his title against Petr Yan […]

Aljamain Sterling claims Petr Yan is not that good UFC rivalry

Reigning bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling claims former foe, Petr Yan, is not as good as some would believe.

Sterling, for a person who has never done anything malicious, is not all that well received by some of the MMA fanbase. It seems to have all stemmed from how he won his title against Petr Yan back at UFC 259, in March of 2021.

In the fourth round of what was a dominant display from Yan, he would connect with an illegal knee (downed opponent), forcing the referee to ultimately call off the contest as Sterling claimed he could not continue, ultimately winning the belt via disqualification. The pair shared animosity before their first fight, but before the second, it was full on rivalry. Sterling would defeat Yan in the rematch, this time without controversy and has since gone on to enjoy a successful reign as bantamweight champion, one which many though Yan would have.

Aljamain Sterling claims Petr Yan as ‘not as good as you guys think’

While the pair have had respectful interaction since, in an interview with Jake Paul, Sterling claims that Yan is not as good as some have made out.

“I felt like the UFC had him as this f*****g golden goose that was going to make all these eggs for them,” Sterling said. “I was like, ‘Dude, he’s not as good as you guys think.’ This is coming from someone who’s in the sport – (who) breaks down and analyses the fight. I do my podcast. I break down these fights weekly. Stylistically, when I’m looking at him and seeing what he’s doing to the guys he’s fighting, he’s fighting guys that are stationary, standing right in front of him. (H/T MMAJunkie)

Yan has gone 1-3 since his disqualification loss to Sterling, but ‘Funkmaster does not seem so surprised.

“He takes his time. He lets them pick their shots and then he picks his shots, and he lands the better shots. If you get a guy who is actually trying to wrestle him, it’s a different fight, man. You saw the fight with Merab (Dvalishvili). You saw the fight with myself – even the Sean (O’Malley) fight. You get a guy with good footwork, it’s not the same fight, man. Things like that bother me.”

Aljamain Sterling interview with Jake Paul

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Aljamain Sterling receives $652,000 Lamborghini from Dana White after heated spat ahead of UFC 292

Aljamain Sterling receives Lamborghini gift from Dana White after argument UFC 292Undisputed bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling has revealed UFC president, Dana White has finally made good on his word – gifting him a Lambroghini, worth a reported $652,000 ahead of his Octagon return in August at UFC 292 – after the duo shared a verbal standoff in recent weeks. Sterling, the current undisputed bantamweight champion, most […]

Aljamain Sterling receives Lamborghini gift from Dana White after argument UFC 292

Undisputed bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling has revealed UFC president, Dana White has finally made good on his word – gifting him a Lambroghini, worth a reported $652,000 ahead of his Octagon return in August at UFC 292 – after the duo shared a verbal standoff in recent weeks.

Sterling, the current undisputed bantamweight champion, most recently headlined UFC 288 back in May against the returning former undisputed bantamweight and flyweight champion, Henry Cejudo, defeating the Olympic gold medalist to defend the title.

Becoming the first bantamweight champion in Octagon history to rack up three consecutive successful title defenses, Uniondale native, Sterling had previously stopped challenger and former champion, T.J. Dillashaw with strikes, as well as unifying the titles against then-interim gold holder, Petr Yan in a title rematch.

And now slated to headline UFC 292 on August 19. from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts following weeks of speculation regarding his quickfire return, Sterling has been booked to take main event status against the streaking #2 ranked challenger, Sean O’Malley.

Sharing a distinct war of words with UFC leader, White following the impromptu announcement of his fight with O’Malley, Sterling and the former went back and forth on social media and through interviews, with White angrily claiming the champion should not fight if he did not want to, insisting the promotion would introduce an interim crown at 135 pounds.

Aljamain Sterling receives expensive gift from UFC boss, Dana White 

Providing an update on their relationship, Sterling revealed UFC boss, White sent him a Lamborghini Huracan – worth an estimated $652,000 – claiming he believes himself and the head honcho and friends once more.

“Dana (White) finally got me that Lambo I’ve been asking for,” Aljamain Sterling told The Schmo during a recent interview. “He’s man of his word, I mean it’s a pretty damn nice car, I’ll tell you that. It’s a very nice car.”

“He knows the money fight,” Aljamain Sterling explained. “He knows the real main event. I main evented the last one and he knows who to call when he needs another main event.