Aljamain Sterling names surprise opponent for UFC comeback as he calls out infamous dark horse contender
01/22/2025 10:52 AM
Aljamain Sterling isn’t looking for a tune-up fight since suffering his first non-championship loss since 2017.
‘Funk Master’ was en route to becoming one of the best bantamweight champions ever. Even though Sterling took the belt with a controversial disqualification, he proved his worth with three consecutive title defenses, all against former champions.
This came crashing down at UFC 292, where considerable underdog Sean O’Malley knocked out Sterling with a crisp right hand in the second round. Since then, Sterling announced his move to featherweight, where he defeated Calvin Kattar at UFC 300 and subsequently lost a tight decision to Movsar Evloev at UFC 310.
Now, he has his sights set on an almighty challenge.
Aljamain Sterling calls out Arnold Allen for his next fight at featherweight
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Sterling made a callout of England’s Arnold Allen, the No. 7 contender at featherweight. ‘Almighty’ also had a contentious loss to Evloev but rebounded with a dominant victory over Giga Chikadze at UFC 304.
“It’d be nice to shake it up with Arnold Allen; I think he’s a tough striker,” Sterling said. “. . . I’m interested in seeing what my striking game looks like at [featherweight] with a guy like that because I don’t have to force the wrestling or worry about being taken down as much.”
The fight makes sense from a matchmaking perspective since Allen has recouped his momentum from the Evloev loss, and Sterling will be looking to steal it from him. It depends on whether Allen wants to mix it up with another position over submission/damage wrestler.
Arnold Allen’s next fight update didn’t involve Aljamain Sterling
‘Almighty’ sat with collective reporters after attending UFC Edmonton in November 2024. Allen alleged that he’d be targeting the March 22 UFC London event, with names like Yair Rodriguez and Brian Ortega being discussed.
Rodriguez is rumored to fight Diego Lopes at UFC Mexico on March 29, leaving Allen with fewer options. The Brit would prefer to face higher rank fighters, so No. 6 Ortega would be the perfect compromise.
Hopefully, we’ll see whether Allen gets his ideal offer over the next few weeks.
