Following Sean O’Malley’s recent submission loss to Merab Dvalishvili, Aljamain Sterling respectfully expressed his interest in a rematch against O`Malley in the featherweight division, suggesting it happen after O`Malley has healed and rested.
Sterling was in Merab Dvalishvili’s corner for the bantamweight champion`s impressive title defense against O’Malley in the main event rematch at UFC 316. A major topic before and after UFC 316 concerned O’Malley’s next step if he lost to Dvalishvili again: would “Sugar” stay at 135 lbs to pursue a rare third title shot against the champion, or would he test the waters at 145 lbs?
Sterling, who moved up a weight class after his title loss to O’Malley at UFC 292 in August 2023, believes O’Malley could achieve success in the featherweight division.
“I think Sean would do really well at 145, and I’m not just saying that because I’d love to run it back, which is obvious,” Sterling stated. “I believe his speed and length would transfer effectively. He could also gain some muscle by lifting more. The only caveat is that there are tough grapplers at 145 who are well-versed in wrestling if they manage to control him.”
Sterling elaborated, “There are more grappling-oriented fighters he would need to contend with, such as Movsar Evloev, myself, Chepe Mariscal, and Steve Garcia once he gets you down and in top position. While Lerone Murphy isn`t primarily a grappler, Bryce Mitchell is moving down, and Ilia Topuria is now at 155, I think the depth of skilled grapplers is greater here. Even Youssef Zalal is a decent grappler, as is David Onama from top control. So, it really depends on his personal goals and strategy.”
“Yes, I do think he would be successful,” Sterling continued. “Would it be as successful as he was at 135? I’m not sure. It’s hard to gauge because those fighters are clearly smaller than him in terms of reach and overall size. However, his athletic capabilities and fight IQ are quite good, which should allow him to perform relatively well at 145. It also comes down to the weight cut. I don`t know how much that affects him, but for me, cutting to 135 and being extremely lean was draining. For instance, I woke up at 160 lbs today, which is unusually light – less than my weight when I competed at 135.”
Sterling mentioned that observing the UFC 316 main event from ringside and re-watching it, he didn’t see a significant difference between O’Malley’s performance against Dvalishvili compared to their first encounter at UFC 306 last September. Sterling felt this was largely due to Dvalishvili’s dominant performance on fight night.
Responding to a fan`s suggestion of a featherweight rematch between them, Sterling expressed approval but emphasized it should only happen when O’Malley is mentally ready. “Funk Master” noted he received considerable public backlash for his comment, which he found slightly surprising.
“Yes, I was surprised, but that`s just how it is,” Sterling remarked. “People are people, likely dedicated O’Malley fans. While I understand wanting to defend an athlete you admire, I don’t believe anything I said was offensive or in bad taste.”
“Moreover, I consider that chapter with O`Malley closed,” he added. “If he`s comfortable concluding it with his victory, both of us know the circumstances were stacked against me. I chose to take the fight and roll the dice, and it didn’t turn out well. So, I’d welcome the chance to face him again under terms favorable to both of us. This way, we’d enter the fight on equal footing, and we could truly determine who is the better fighter. If people think Merab’s grappling and pace are strong, I believe my fight with Movsar serves as a strong indicator of how our previous fight could have unfolded. My performance against Calvin Kattar also shows what happens when I can secure control, although Kattar is a more stationary opponent.”
“These two performances, and others before them, demonstrate that when I get my hands on an opponent, it’s a completely different fight,” Sterling explained. “My mental state during that fight with O`Malley was very poor. I tried to convince myself I was excited to be there, but when I was in the cage, I felt I had to just put on a brave face. Even in my corner, I was thinking, `I just want this to be over, man. I really just want to go home.`”
“As expected, I threw an awkward, uncalculated strike, and Sean countered perfectly with a beautiful right hand. That`s how this game works. And again, for him as well, he shouldn’t return unless he`s mentally ready to fight again, because going into a competition without that desire typically leads to a bad night.”
Since moving up to featherweight, Sterling’s record stands at 1-1 in the division, including a decisive decision win over Calvin Kattar at UFC 300 and a close decision loss to Movsar Evloev in December at UFC 310.
Regardless of whether a rematch with O’Malley happens, Sterling is prepared to compete as soon as the UFC gives him an assignment.
“Honestly, I’ve been ready,” Sterling stated. “I texted my team back in January asking for a fight, though I knew I needed a little time off to recover. My shoulder, the one I had surgery on, gets aggravated in every fight, requiring a break and physical therapy to get it strong again. I indicated I was ready to fight in January. When the March card came up, I asked about it, but was basically told to slow down. Then, in early February, I received a short-notice offer against Patricio Pitbull. At that time, I was already taking time off and focusing on my business side, promoting my brand, my spirit, Funk Harbor [rum].”
“Many people might not know, but I funded that entire project myself with my own earnings. So, naturally, I needed to give it attention and focus. I took time off to do that, and my training wasn`t at the level it should have been. I regret that somewhat because it was a great opportunity to fight a former champion like Pitbull, and I missed it. I then asked about fighting in April, but didn`t get it. I asked about the June card in Jersey, also didn`t get that.”
“I have a bachelor party coming up now, and I’m getting married at the end of the year, so there’s a lot going on. But I am ready to go. I’ve effectively been in training camp with Merab for a significant period, so I`m in shape. I could easily do three five-minute rounds, probably even five rounds without issue. I’m just waiting for the matchmakers to provide a name. Ideally, I’d like to fight someone ranked similarly to Movsar, like Brian Ortega or Arnold Allen – opponents that make sense for my position. I’m even willing to fight Lerone Murphy, who is somehow now ranked ahead of me. If that’s the name they want me to fight, I`m open to it.”
