Aljamain Sterling admitted his fight with Brian Ortega nearly slipped away.
Last Saturday in Shanghai, China, Sterling secured a commanding unanimous decision over Ortega in the five-round co-main event of UFC Shanghai.
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“Funk Master” dominated Ortega in a largely stand-up battle, dictating the pace with sharp strikes and powerful kicks that steadily wore down the two-time featherweight title challenger.
Sterling didn’t pursue a takedown until the latter half of the fight, but once the action hit the mat in rounds four and five, the former UFC bantamweight champion cemented his victory with dominant top control and punishing ground-and-pound. When the fight ended, Sterling had left no doubt, earning a unanimous 50-45 decision from all three judges.
During the UFC Shanghai post-fight show (via MMA Fighting), Aljamain Sterling opened up about his hard-fought victory over Brian Ortega. “Funk Master” revealed he had been dealing with some issues leading into the fight and then suffered a significant elbow injury in the fourth round while attempting a spinning back elbow, which left him momentarily worried his opponent might mount a comeback.
Despite the scare, Sterling managed to stay composed, relying on his grappling to regain control and secure the win. The 36-year-old New Yorker admitted the moment was tense, but his poise and technique ultimately allowed him to dictate the fight and close it out successfully.
That last elbow I landed in round four, I really couldn’t even keep my arm up to defend myself,” Aljamain Sterling said. "When he came after me, I was like this is like a living nightmare right now. Because I can’t even do anything other than circle, and hopefully he makes a mistake, which he did and allowed me to take his back and get him down.
After the fight, Sterling took to social media to post a video showing his swollen, injured left elbow, earning praise from fans for maintaining his composure despite the setback.
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“Funk Master” responded to one comment, explaining that he had to mask the injury, knowing Ortega could have taken advantage if he showed any weakness.
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With the victory, Sterling improves to 2-1 since his move to the featherweight division in April 2024. He made the jump after relinquishing his bantamweight title to Sean O’Malley at UFC 292 in August 2023.
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