Athletes
Aljamain Sterling Welcomes The Toughest Challenges
Aljamain Sterling Defends His Bantamweight Title Against Former 135-Pound Champion TJ Dillashaw In The Co-Main Event At UFC 280: Oliveira vs Makhachev
Aljamain Sterling was speaking with training partner, friend, and fellow bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili ahead of Dvalishvili’s fight against José Aldo at UFC 278 when he allowed himself to look at the big picture.
“I'm like, ‘Brother, you're fighting. José, I'm fighting TJ (Dillashaw). This is some crazy s**t,’” Sterling recalled to UFC.com. “Whoever thought that these types of dreams would become reality? Here we are, man.”
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Sterling proudly cornered Dvalishvili as the Georgian picked up the biggest win of his career in Salt Lake City, and then he promptly stepped into the spotlight as he prepped in earnest for the second defense of his bantamweight throne against former champion in Dillashaw.
The challenge is a welcome one for Sterling, who was happy to put an unsteady chapter behind him when he outhustled Petr Yan in their rematch at UFC 273 to earn the split decision nod. The 13-month saga, which involved Sterling earning the title via disqualification when Yan hit him with an illegal knee, as well as a lengthy recovery from neck surgery, put Sterling through the MMA-fandom wringer, but the 33-year-old came out the other end with gold still wrapped around his waist.
He eagerly turned his attention to the next name on his list in Dillashaw, who earned a title shot when he beat Cory Sandhagen via split decision in his first fight after serving a two-year suspension. Dillashaw spent the next year on the sidelines recovering from knee surgery, but he remains one of the bigger names in the division, having earned the belt twice before.
UFC 280 COUNTDOWN: Full Episode | Oliveira vs Makhachev | Sterling vs Dillashaw | Yan vs O'Malley
“I pride myself in just taking on the toughest challenges,” Sterling said. “If I could beat him and get a scalp like that on my resume, that's enough for me. People are going to be talking about TJ for years, so to get a win over him, even just sharing the Octagon with him, that's a huge thing to be tied to for history.”
Beyond the ramifications on Sterling’s legacy, the matchup is stylistically intriguing, as well. Sterling’s grappling prowess is well-documented, and it is particularly suffocating since he underwent hand surgery in 2019 to take care of a long-tolerated issue. In his next fight following the procedure, he submitted Cory Sandhagen in 90 seconds to earn his first title shot.
Dillashaw, on the other hand, holds the bantamweight record for knockouts with eight and has displayed wrestling ability in his own right. However, when the former champ said he felt like his game on the mat outranked Sterling’s, the current bantamweight king took umbrage.
“When he gets overly frustrated or outside of himself trying to hit me, he'll be on his butt (and) he'll have to wrestle,” Sterling said. “We'll see if my (Division III) wrestling holds up to what he says. He says it pretty much doesn't hold a candle to his (Division I) resume. I'm a 2-time All-American. I don't think he even went to the national tournament. Even if he did, he never placed. So, that means (he’s) run-of-the-mill like everybody else, which means if you came to Division III, there's a good chance you probably don't even win the national tournament, my brother.
RELATED: The 10: UFC Bantamweight Title Fights | Reclaiming Gold | Sterling Breaks Down The Bantamweight Division
“I think he's a little bit on his high horse and I hope that plays into my favor because I think he might be underestimating me. Maybe that's all my tricks from him. We don't know. We're going to find out. I just look forward to strangling the guy.”
What’s undeniable is the fact that Sterling is battle-tested against some of the best to ever do it at 135 pounds. Dillashaw is the third former champion Sterling will have fought, the two others being Yan and Renan Barão (both of whom Sterling defeated).
UFC Breakdown | UFC 280: Sterling vs Dillashaw
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UFC Breakdown | UFC 280: Sterling vs Dillashaw
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Since joining the roster before his 25th birthday in 2014, Sterling consistently developed his game, a trait that has only flourished as he reached the highest levels. With the target squarely on his back, Sterling has found comfort. Ahead of his first new test as champion, Sterling believes his ability to find areas to improve and grow keeps him on the front foot against a loaded and hungry bantamweight division. As far as facing the biggest names and hardest tests, that’s an occupation to which he is well-accustomed.
“I've always fought the toughest guys that they put in front of me,” Sterling said. “I was never able or allowed to duck opponents. The UFC always gave me the toughest challenges. I always wonder if it was because they didn't like me, but I kept proving people wrong. If they didn’t, I kept proving them wrong anyway. And for me I think it just made me a better competitor and helped get me to where I am today.”
FREE FIGHTS: Oliveira vs Gaethje | Makhachev vs Hooker | Dillashaw vs Sandhagen | O'Malley vs Almeida | Yan vs Faber | Sterling vs Yan 2
Although Dillashaw was in the “division’s best” conversation before his suspension, Sterling can put himself in the same discussion with a win on October 22. His resume is sneakily stacked, and if he can hold onto the bantamweight belt for an extended period of time – a feat no 135er has really achieved since the heyday of Dominick Cruz – Sterling can find himself knocking on the door of the division’s Mt. Rushmore.
As someone who keeps himself well tapped into the conversation, Sterling is aware of all of this. It’s what helps to set him up as a great champion, and he understands that taking care of business at UFC 280 sets up his legacy in a big way.
“I think I'm off to the races and can submit my name in the history books for good (with a win),” Sterling said. “I think my resume will speak for itself.”
UFC 280: Oliveira vs Makhachev took place live from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on October 22, 2022. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
