Aljamain Sterling is open to welcoming Sean O’Malley to the featherweight division for a rematch after watching his former foe submit at UFC 316.
O’Malley suffered a brutal third-round submission loss in his rematch against Sterling’s close friend, UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili, this past Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Although “Suga” displayed sharper takedown defense and more calculated striking, he was ultimately overwhelmed by Dvalishvili’s relentless onslaught of takedown attempts, which ended with a north-south choke.
Sean O’Malley captured the bantamweight crown with a TKO victory over Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292 in August 2023, a win many viewed as controversially stopped early by the referee. He then went on to defend his title once against Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC 299 in March 2024, only to see his reign come to an end against Dvalishvili at UFC 306 in September.
Aljamain Sterling Open To Facing Sean O’Malley Again At 145
Following Sean O’Malley’s defeat to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316, a fan on social media called for “Suga” to move up to the featherweight division and proposed a rematch against Aljamain Sterling.
“Funk Master” warmly embraced the possibility of the showdown, saying he would jump at the chance to avenge his loss to O’Malley with a more polished, focused approach.
“Let the former champ rest. But I would absolutely LOVE to show him what a healthy version of myself would do. He’s got great skills but I still know that was 50% version of myself,” Aljamain Sterling wrote on X.”
After relinquishing his 135-pound crown to O’Malley, Sterling made the leap to the featherweight division and marked his debut with a commanding unanimous decision victory over Calvin Kattar at UFC 300 in April 2024.
“Funk Master” most recently returned to action at UFC 310 in December, where he faced off against the undefeated Movsar Evloev. Despite a valiant effort, Sterling came up short on the judges’ scorecards in a closely contested bout.
