Aljamain Sterling expressed admiration for Alexander Volkanovski's recent title defense at UFC 290.
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Aljamain Sterling expressed admiration for Alexander Volkanovski’s recent title defense at UFC 290. The reigning UFC Featherweight champion, Volkanovski, showcased his skills by securing a third-round technical knockout victory over Yair Rodriguez, successfully thwarting his fifth consecutive challenger.
Prior to his bout with Rodriguez, Volkanovski made a noteworthy detour to the Lightweight division in pursuit of gold. Regrettably, his aspirations were halted by the formidable 155-pound titleholder, Islam Makhachev, who emerged victorious via a unanimous decision.
Read More: UFC 290 results: Volkanovski showcases dominance in TKO finish over Rodriguez
While Alexander Volkanovski holds the aspiration of earning a rematch against Islam Makhachev, the precise timeline for such an opportunity remains uncertain. In the Featherweight division, Ilia Topuria has emerged as a formidable contender and is likely to be the next challenger for the title.
However, should Aljamain Sterling successfully defend his Bantamweight championship against Sean O’Malley at UFC 292 on August 19, 2023, the “Funkmaster” has expressed his desire to face the esteemed Australian legend, Volkanovski.
“I would love to get that challenge before he would hang it up and be all said and done,” Sterling said on his YouTube channel. “I missed the opportunity to fight Jose Aldo. I’ve been trying to fight some of these guys who are considered the greatest or the biggest names. Petr Yan, Cory Sandhagen, T.J. Dillashaw, Henry Cejudo, now fighting Sean, who’s gonna be kind of like my Conor McGregor moment. Then to have an opportunity to fight Volkanovski would be like a real legacy-defining moment for my career. I would even say for him, too.”
Sterling showcased his prowess by securing a hard-fought victory over Henry Cejudo via a split decision, successfully defending his title for the third consecutive time. Cejudo, renowned for his exceptional fight IQ and impressive Olympic-level wrestling background, presented a formidable challenge for Sterling despite coming out of a three-year retirement.
The bout proved to be a testament to Sterling’s tenacity and skill as he overcame a determined opponent in his championship defense. Should Aljamain Sterling find himself in a future matchup against the Featherweight champion, he envisions encountering parallels reminiscent of his bout with Cejudo.
“I think the thing that makes the fight between myself and Volk interesting is — people can say, ‘Oh, he’s gonna crush you in one,’ whatever,” Sterling said. “These guys keep saying this. Not the fans, the actual other people who just have something to always harp on about. I think the thing we both bring to the table is the fight IQ and being able to make those adjustments. I think that’s for me the challenge just like it was for Henry.”
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