After his controversial championship win against Petr Yan at UFC 259, UFC champion Aljamain Sterling is eager ahead of their long-awaited rematch.
The bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling definitely hasn’t had a quiet title reign despite not putting his belt up for a defense yet. Since the Longo-Serra-based fighter endured a few injuries in the Yan title fight, he’s been unable to compete and on the sidelines recovering with a tentative return date of October 2021.
Following a few months since he won the title, some are unsure of when they will see Sterling back in the octagon. However, the bantamweight champion is confident it will be this year and even more confident in his mindset and skills to keep his title for a long time.
“Skill-set wise, I don’t think he’s a better fighter than me. Aljamain Sterling said to MiddleEasy. He hasn’t said he was off or anything. So if that’s the best Petr Yan, I like my chances in the rematch. That’s all I can say. If I’m gonna go into the fight depleted like that and still have that type of an output and that type of a performance, I think he’s in for a rude awakening.”
Once the champion is back in the swing of things, Sterling believes Yan has yet to see the best version of himself. Granted, Sterling’s output at UFC 259 with Yan was impressive, it will be interesting to see if he brings an even faster pace in his return. In addition, Sterling set his sights on former 2X bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw once he handles unfinished business with Sandhagen, should that fight get rescheduled.
“I think TJ’s in for a rude awakening as well,” Sterling continued. “Because when I get in there with him, it’s gonna be something serious. That’s if he even gets back. He’s gotta get past Cory Sandhagen first.”
Who do you favor in the rematch with champion Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan? Let us know below in the comment section!
