Following Sean O’Malley’s recent submission defeat against Merab Dvalishvili, Aljamain Sterling respectfully suggested a potential rematch in the featherweight division once O’Malley has recovered and taken a break.
Sterling was present in Dvalishvili’s corner during the bantamweight champion’s successful title defense against O’Malley in the main event rematch at UFC 316. A significant discussion point before and after UFC 316 was O’Malley’s next step if he lost to Dvalishvili again: would “Sugar” remain at 135 lbs seeking a rare third title shot, or attempt a transition to 145 lbs?
Having moved up himself after his title loss to O’Malley at UFC 292 in August 2023, Sterling expressed confidence that O’Malley could find success in the featherweight division.
“I think Sean has strong potential at 145 pounds, and this isn’t solely because I’d welcome a rematch – though that’s clear,” Sterling stated. “I believe his speed and reach would adapt very well. He could also gain some strength by lifting more. The primary challenge would be facing some experienced grapplers at 145 who already possess grappling skills.”
“There are arguably more grappling-focused athletes he’d need to contend with, like Movsar [Evloev], myself, Chepe [Mariscal], Steve Garcia when he secures takedowns and top control. Lerone Murphy is less of a grappler, Bryce [Mitchell] is transitioning down, and Ilia [Topuria] is now at 155. But overall, I think there`s deeper talent pool of guys who can grapple. Even Youssef [Zalal] is a decent grappler, and David Onama is dangerous from top position. It truly comes down to his personal decision.”
“I do anticipate he would achieve success. Would it rival his achievements at 135? It’s difficult to say, as opponents there are physically smaller in terms of reach and frame. However, his athleticism and fight IQ are quite high, suggesting he would perform relatively well at 145. The weight cut factor is also important. I don’t know how significantly the cut affected him, but for me, being extremely lean was detrimental. For instance, I weighed 160 pounds today, which is unusually light – lighter than when I competed at 135.”
Sterling noted that observing the UFC 316 main event from the corner and reviewing the fight later, he didn`t perceive a major difference in O’Malley`s performance compared to their first encounter at UFC 306 last September. Sterling feels this was largely due to Dvalishvili`s exceptional display on Saturday.
Responding to a fan’s suggestion for a featherweight rematch, Sterling expressed enthusiasm for the idea but emphasized it should only happen when O’Malley is in the right mental state. He was somewhat taken aback by the negative reaction received from the public regarding his comment.
“Yes [I was surprised, but] it’s just the way things are,” Sterling remarked. “People are just people, and they’re likely dedicated O’Malley supporters. I understand wanting to defend your favorite fighter, but I don’t believe anything I said was offensive or inappropriate.”
“Moreover, I’ve moved past that chapter with O’Malley. If he’s content with his win and moving on, both he and I know the circumstances were heavily against me. Naturally, I accepted the fight and took a chance, which didn’t work out. So, I’d genuinely appreciate the opportunity to run it back under terms favorable to both of us. This way, we’d be on equal footing entering the bout, and we could truly determine who is the superior fighter. If people find Merab’s grappling and pace impressive, I think my fight against Movsar serves as a strong illustration of how that fight might have unfolded [against Merab], or even my fight with [Calvin] Kattar. Granted, Kattar is a less mobile opponent.”
“But I believe those two performances, my previous performances, indicate that if I get my hands on you, the fight is different. My mindset during that fight with O’Malley was extremely poor. I attempted to convince myself I wanted to be there through rah-rah motivation, but once I was in the octagon, I just had to put on a poker face and pretend. Even in the corner, I felt like, ‘I just want this to end, man. I really just want to go home.’”
“Sure enough, I threw a messy, completely unplanned strike, and Sean connected beautifully with a right hand – that’s how the game goes. And conversely, he shouldn’t return unless he’s mentally prepared and genuinely wants to compete again, because entering a fight without that desire will result in a difficult night.”
Since transitioning to featherweight, Sterling holds a 1-1 record in the new division, including a dominant decision victory over Calvin Kattar at UFC 300 and a narrow decision defeat to Movsar Evloev at UFC 310 last December.
Whether a rematch with O’Malley materializes or not, Sterling stated he is ready to compete as soon as the UFC gives him an opponent.
“Honestly, I’ve been ready since… I literally messaged my team asking for a fight back in January, though I knew I required some time off to heal,” Sterling explained. “Like after every fight, my shoulder is quite problematic – the one I had surgery on – so it gets slightly aggravated each time and needs a period of rest and rehabilitation to regain its strength. I sent that message in January expressing my readiness. Then March came around for the March card. I inquired about that in January and was basically advised I could ease off training slightly. Subsequently, I was offered a short-notice fight against [Patricio] Pitbull early in February, but at that point, I was engaged in other activities – partying and focusing on my business ventures, specifically my brand, my spirit, Funk Harbor [rum].”
“Many people might not realize this, but I personally funded the entire project, so it’s my own hard-earned money. Naturally, I need to dedicate time and focus to it. I took time away from intense training to ensure I was concentrating on that, and I wasn’t preparing as rigorously as I should have been. I honestly regret missing that opportunity somewhat because it was a fantastic chance to face a former champion like Pitbull. I asked about an April fight, didn’t get one. I asked about the June card in Jersey, didn’t get that either.”
“I have a bachelor party coming up soon, and I’m getting married at the end of the year. There’s a lot happening, but I am prepared to compete. I was in training camp with Merab for a significant period, so I’m in good physical condition. I could easily handle three rounds, probably even five without issue. But I’m just waiting, ready for the promotion to provide me with an opponent. Ideally, I’d like to fight someone ranked similarly to Movsar, like Brian Ortega or Arnold Allen – names that make strategic sense. I’m even willing to fight Lerone Murphy, given that he’s somehow currently ranked above me. If that’s the opponent they want for me, I am open to it.”
