Despite welcoming an immediate title defense against the surging, Sean O’Malley off the back of last night’s win over former duel-weight champion, Henry Cejudo, undisputed bantamweight kingpin, Aljamain Sterling is less than interested in a potential Boston, Massachusetts showdown in August at UFC 292.
Headlining at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey last night in the main event of UFC 288, Sterling managed to successfully defend his bantamweight crown for the third straight occasion, landing a close, competitive split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47) victory over former undisputed bantamweight and flyweight champion, Cejudo.
Becoming the first bantamweight champion in Octagon history to successfully defend his championship on three consecutive occasions, Uniondale native, Sterling was immediately joined in the cage by the #2 ranked contender, O’Malley – setting up a fight with the Montana native later this summer.
And according to UFC president, Dana White, the idea of an August 19. pairing of the duo at a targeted UFC 292 card in Boston, Massachusetts – fits the bill.
Aljamain Sterling prefers West Coast battle with Sean O’Malley next
However, as per Sterling, the opportunity to fight in Boston – giving his New York home base has been scoffed at, with the Serra-Longo MMA staple preferring a trip to Las Vegas for his next bantamweight title defense.
“That is news to me, man – I dont’t wanna go to Boston,” Aljamain Sterling told TSN reporter, Aaron Bronsteter. “Dana (White), I’ve been trying to fight at the T-Mobile [Arena] for God know’s how long. Can we just fight in [Las] Vegas?”
“I wanna fight in Vegas where it’s nice and hot, go to a pool party,” Aljamain Sterling explained. “Boston’s cool, but, you know, I wanna go back to the West Coast. And he’s (Sean O’Malley) gonna be a [fan] favorite – he’s gonna be a favorite over there. I know there’s a big Irish crowd over there. So, whatever, it is what it is