Tag: Movsar Evloev

Movsar Evloev Differs From Aljamain Sterling On View Of UFC 310 Card Placement

Undefeated UFC featherweight contender Movsar Evloev couldn’t care less whether he makes the walk at the start or end of a fight card. Evloev is set for a crucial outing this weekend at UFC 310, where he looks to stake his claim for a first shot at gold on MMA’s biggest stage at the expense […]

Undefeated UFC featherweight contender Movsar Evloev couldn’t care less whether he makes the walk at the start or end of a fight card.

Evloev is set for a crucial outing this weekend at UFC 310, where he looks to stake his claim for a first shot at gold on MMA’s biggest stage at the expense of former bantamweight kingpin Aljamain Sterling.

The Russian opened his account for 2024 by getting the better of Arnold Allen in Canada this past January. The result pushed him into the top five at 145 pounds and left him 8-0 since joining the UFC from M-1 Global in 2019.

But he’s come under fire for failing to find a finish in his UFC tenure to date, and Dana White’s reaction to his latest win would suggest Evloev isn’t Mr. Popular among the promotional higher-ups.

That’s perhaps contributed to the controversial decision to place Evloev’s clash with Sterling — another whose entertainment value has been called into question by some — on Saturday’s preliminary card.

The move hasn’t pleased “Funk Master,” who has vowed to prove that the UFC made a mistake. Evloev, however, is seemingly unbothered.

“Guys my fight will be broadcasted on ESPN, way more people will watch my fight than on the PPV, I don’t even care if I’m the first fight of the night, I get paid the same,” Evloev wrote on X. “All my life I worked hard to earn thing nothing was ever given to me”

Regardless of their position on the lineup, both Evloev and Sterling will be looking to put themselves among the night’s biggest winners by extending their respective unbeaten featherweight records. “Funk Master” is 1-0 in the division, having gotten the better of Calvin Kattar on debut this past April.

Aljamain Sterling ‘Insulted’ After Being Pushed to UFC 310 Prelims: ‘I Am a Main Card Fighter’

Aljamain Sterling 'Insulted' After Being Pushed to UFC 310 Prelims: 'I Am a Main Card Fighter'Aljamain Sterling is confused by his relegation to the prelims. After scoring a unanimous decision victory over Calvin Kattar…

Aljamain Sterling 'Insulted' After Being Pushed to UFC 310 Prelims: 'I Am a Main Card Fighter'

Aljamain Sterling is confused by his relegation to the prelims.

After scoring a unanimous decision victory over Calvin Kattar in his featherweight debut at UFC 300, the ‘Funk Master’ returns to the Octagon this Saturday night at UFC 310 in Las Vegas. Sterling is set to square off with Movsar Evloev in a bout that was originally scheduled to go down in October until Sterling suffered an injury.

Aljamain Sterling

Over the last several years, Sterling has been a mainstay on main cards and in main events. However, his role at the final pay-per-view of the year will see him take a spot on the prelims — a position he’s not exactly thrilled with.

“I didn’t know if I should have been insulted by the placement on the fight card or glass half-full,” Sterling said in a video on his YouTube channel. “I guess that’s the best way I try to look at everything in life. I get to fight earlier and get to be done earlier. I was a little confused by it, of course. I guess they have their rhyme or reason for what they do, the UFC brass, and it is what it is.

“At the end of the day, it’s not my organization. I don’t call the shots. I just go out there and compete, and it’s up to me to go out there and prove these guys wrong that I am a main card fighter. I think people are gonna be in for a very big surprise, and the UFC is gonna realize we messed up big time by not putting this on the main card” (h/t MMA Mania).

Does Aljamain Sterling have a point?

To be fair, Sterling has not competed on the prelims since his win over Pedro Munhoz at UFC 238 more than five years ago. The lone exception during that timeframe was his scrap with Kattar at UFC 300 — an event so stacked that two former UFC champions were the curtain-jerkers.

Aljamain Sterling

Why Dana White and Co. opted to keep Sterling off the main card is anyone’s guess, but if we’re being honest, his three-round scrap with Kattar didn’t exactly set the world on fire, nor did Evloev’s last outing against Arnold Allen in January.

Aljamain Sterling

UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling Gets New Date

MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to upcoming cards. With UFC events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week. Between Monday, September 23, and […]

Continue Reading UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling Gets New Date at MMA News.

MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to upcoming cards.

With UFC events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.

Between Monday, September 23, and Sunday, September 29, a few notable fights were made official by the UFC or reported by reputable sources. For more information on those matchups, check out the links below:

A number of lower-profile matchups also came together. For those, check out this week’s quick hits:

But it wasn’t all positive, with two fights being adjusted. For those, see below:

Continue Reading UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling Gets New Date at MMA News.

‘They Scared Of The Future Champ’ – Fans React As Movsar Evloev Removed From UFC 307 Card After No Replacement Stepped Up

Some MMA enthusiasts aren’t surprised at UFC featherweights’ unwillingness to do battle with the undefeated Movsar Evloev on short notice. One of the key bouts set for the upcoming UFC 307 pay-per-view in Salt Lake City on Oct. 5 took a hit earlier this month when former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling announced his withdrawal through […]

Continue Reading ‘They Scared Of The Future Champ’ – Fans React As Movsar Evloev Removed From UFC 307 Card After No Replacement Stepped Up at MMA News.

Some MMA enthusiasts aren’t surprised at UFC featherweights’ unwillingness to do battle with the undefeated Movsar Evloev on short notice.

One of the key bouts set for the upcoming UFC 307 pay-per-view in Salt Lake City on Oct. 5 took a hit earlier this month when former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling announced his withdrawal through injury.

“Funk Master” was scheduled to share the cage with the #6-ranked Evloev in what would have marked his second outing in the 145-pound division.

The promotion had hoped to keep the unbeaten Russian on the lineup, which also boasts the likes of Kayla Harrison, José Aldo, and Kevin Holland below championship headliners that will see Alex Pereira and Raquel Pennington defend their titles.

Per MMA Mania’s Alex Behunin, however, the UFC failed in its pursuit of a replacement opponent, with nobody agreeing to fight Evloev on the Oct. 5 date.

Evloev Off UFC 307 Lineup, Fans React

After Evloev called the weight class out on social media in the hopes of keeping himself on the UFC 307 card following news of Sterling’s injury, a few names emerged. But while notable contenders like Jean Silva and Bryce Mitchell expressed a willingness to face the Russian, they required more time.

Fans were quick to give their thoughts on Evloev’s forced withdrawal on social media. Takes varied, with some using the absence of willing foes as evidence of Evloev’s talents and others suggesting that he won’t be missed at UFC 307 given his lack of Octagon finishes.

Continue Reading ‘They Scared Of The Future Champ’ – Fans React As Movsar Evloev Removed From UFC 307 Card After No Replacement Stepped Up at MMA News.

Aljamain Sterling Names Next High-Profile Opponent If Movsar Evloev Rejects Rebooked Fight

Aljamain Sterling recently name-dropped a high-profile opponent he hopes to face next if Movsar Evloev declines to rebook their fight. “Funk Master” was set to face Evloev in what could have been a pivotal featherweight title eliminator at UFC 307 on October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. However, last week, […]

Continue Reading Aljamain Sterling Names Next High-Profile Opponent If Movsar Evloev Rejects Rebooked Fight at MMA News.

Aljamain Sterling recently name-dropped a high-profile opponent he hopes to face next if Movsar Evloev declines to rebook their fight.

“Funk Master” was set to face Evloev in what could have been a pivotal featherweight title eliminator at UFC 307 on October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. However, last week, Sterling announced that he was compelled to withdraw from the matchup due to a serious elbow injury.

The former UFC bantamweight champion made a successful transition to the 145-pound division this past April at UFC 300, where he delivered a dominant victory over Calvin Kattar. Sterling has one goal in mind—to compete against elite opponents and secure his place in title contention as swiftly as possible.

With uncertainty surrounding the possibility of rescheduling his bout with Evloev, Sterling has a contender in mind who could propel him toward a title shot…

Sterling Finds Inspiration In Diego Lopes’ Journey & Wants To Face Him Next

During a recent interview with The Schmo, Sterling lavished praise on Diego Lopes for his success in the Octagon. “Funk Master” noted that while he maintains a strong camaraderie with Lopes, he feels that competitive tension is gradually building between them as the Brazilian climbs the ranks in the featherweight division.

“I think Diego rising to his stardom and his rise in the sport in the UFC has been huge; it’s nothing short of inspiring, to be honest,” Sterling said. “I’m happy for the guy. I got to train with him one time; he was a very nice dude, very polite. I can kind of feel the tension shift a little bit now whenever I see him. It seems like there’s a little bit more tension there. It’s not like I’m fighting him tomorrow or he’s my next scheduled fight, so for me, I don’t really see a point in being like that. But I can understand why he’s a little bit more on guard when seeing me or meeting me.”

Sterling further mentioned that if his fight with Evloev doesn’t get rebooked, he would definitely be eager to share the Octagon with Lopes in pursuit of his title shot.

“If we’re talking about the next best fight, if Movsar declines, I just don’t know who else he would fight. But if he gives me the option, I’ve always wanted Brian Ortega so I could get the closest spot to the top, and now that next closest guy is Diego Lopes. That’s all it is; it has nothing to do with what this guy did or that. It’s the name value and what it gets me—risk versus reward. If I’m going to risk it for the biscuit, that’s the guy I would risk it with.”

Lopes has been on a remarkable run in the Octagon since narrowly losing his promotional debut against Evloev at UFC 288. The Brazilian extended his win streak to five with a dominant victory over Ortega at Noche UFC 306, propelling himself to the #3 spot in the featherweight rankings.

Continue Reading Aljamain Sterling Names Next High-Profile Opponent If Movsar Evloev Rejects Rebooked Fight at MMA News.

Aljamain Sterling Out Of Movsar Evloev Fight At UFC 307: ‘I Need All My Tools’

Aljamain Sterling moved up to featherweight after losing his UFC bantamweight championship to Sean O’Malley. He dominated Calvin Kattar in his divisional debut and was scheduled to fight Movsar Evloev at UFC 307 next. However, Sterling has pulled out of the UFC 307 bout because of an injury that he sustained during sparring. Despite taking […]

Continue Reading Aljamain Sterling Out Of Movsar Evloev Fight At UFC 307: ‘I Need All My Tools’ at MMA News.

Aljamain Sterling moved up to featherweight after losing his UFC bantamweight championship to Sean O’Malley. He dominated Calvin Kattar in his divisional debut and was scheduled to fight Movsar Evloev at UFC 307 next.

However, Sterling has pulled out of the UFC 307 bout because of an injury that he sustained during sparring. Despite taking the right precautions and undergoing stem cell therapy, he hasn’t been able to recover properly and announced his injury via YouTube and X recently.

“I think it’s a tough test. And I truly do believe I have the abilities to beat you. So, let’s do this in December. And I’ll see you on the other side of the Octagon. But if you decide not to wait, I can respect that also. Because I know you’re trying to fight for a belt as am I and the only way to do that is to go through each other.”

Aljo still wants to fight Evloev but expects the latter to wait until December. The undefeated Russian featherweight is naturally unhappy with this development, and here’s what he plans to do now…

Movsar Evloev Responds To Aljamain Sterling Pulling Out Of 307 Because Of Injury

Evloev has been training for his next featherweight fight in the UFC for four months. Even with all the bad blood between him and Sterling so far, he isn’t interested in pushing back the matchup.

Evloev shared on X (formerly Twitter) that he is willing to stay on UFC 307 and will fight anybody. From Diego Lopes to Dan Ige to Josh Emmett, there are a bunch of matchups that fans have already suggested.

With consecutive wins over Ige, Lopes, and Arnold Allen, undefeated Evloev at 18-0 is certainly one of the most interesting prospects in the UFC featherweight division. A win over a former champ like Sterling could have secured him a title shot or, at the very least, put him in a title eliminator.

Similarly, Sterling looked forward to fighting Diego Lopes after beating Evloev. Such massive wins would’ve put him in a comfortable spot to challenge Ilia Topuria or Max Holloway for the title.

It is worth noting that Nate Landwehr is also out of his UFC 307 bout against Austin Hubbard. He’ll be replaced by Alexander Hernandez.

Continue Reading Aljamain Sterling Out Of Movsar Evloev Fight At UFC 307: ‘I Need All My Tools’ at MMA News.