Aljamain Sterling Agrees to Striking-Only Bout with Kevin Vallejos for UFC Qatar
Aljamain Sterling, former UFC bantamweight champion, is open to setting aside his grappling expertise for a striking-focused fight against Kevin Vallejos at UFC Qatar later this year.
The upcoming UFC event in Qatar is headlined by a light heavyweight bout between former champion Jiri Prochazka and Navajo Stirling, competing for a potential title shot while Carlos Ulberg is sidelined.
The UFC Qatar undercard includes a featherweight fight featuring Aljamain Sterling and Kevin Vallejos. Vallejos has proposed an all-striking approach for their matchup.
Following the UFC Qatar card announcement, Vallejos tweeted his intention: "I think my fight with Sterling will be pure striking. ALL the fans win with this one. Legend vs. Prospect. All-out striking war in a full arena."
Sterling quickly responded, stating, "Can't wait!"
Should Sterling commit to a striking-only strategy against Vallejos, it could present a significant challenge. Vallejos has secured recent victories over Josh Emmett, Giga Chikadze, and Seung-Woo Choi.
Sterling is coming off consecutive wins against Youssef Zalal and Brian Ortega, following a close decision loss to Movsar Evloev. He transitioned to the featherweight division after his loss to Sean O’Malley at UFC 292.
While Prochazka vs. Stirling headlines UFC Qatar, the Sterling vs. Vallejos bout has the potential to be a standout fight, particularly if the featherweights engage in a striking battle.
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