Aljamain Sterling is going all out to earn a UFC featherweight title shot. On Saturday at UFC Vegas 116, the former bantamweight champion notched his second consecutive victory in his first main event since moving up from his longtime division.
In his unanimous decision victory over Youssef Zalal, Sterling was back to his classic form. Showcasing his powerful and dominant grappling, he outclassed his former training partner and ended the Moroccan’s impressive nine-fight UFC unbeaten streak. Speaking on Monday’s edition of “The Ariel Helwani Show,” Sterling said he believes there’s no one more deserving than him to take on champion Alexander Volkanovski next.
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“I went out there and I did what I had to do. I want to see people try to discredit me now,” Sterling told Uncrowned. “What can you say about anything that I don’t deserve the shot now? I think I stated my claim. I did it in a very, very big way. I’m just happy, and happy, fortunate and blessed for the opportunity. It was definitely a scary, tough fight in the sense of the build-up — it was almost like I was fighting a mirror image of myself, just maybe not with all the wrestling accolades, and maybe as proven in jiu-jitsu as much.”
Sterling, 36, is likely in a prime position to be, at most, one fight away from a title shot. He entered the Zalal bout at No. 5 in the official UFC rankings and has only suffered a single defeat at featherweight since departing the 135-pound weight class in 2024. He also noted that he signed a new UFC contract in the lead-up to this past weekend’s fight.
Aside from Sterling, the only real competition in the featherweight contender conversation is the one man to defeat Sterling at 145 pounds: Movsar Evloev. Considering the pair’s late-2024 fight result — and Evloev going undefeated in 20 pro fights (10 in the UFC) — Sterling won’t complain about either scenario.
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“I want next, for sure,” Sterling said. “If they gave [the title shot] to me, I won’t be upset. I’m not going to say, ‘Oh, no. You deserve it.’ The same with Diego Lopes — he got two title shots, and no one could be mad at him for taking them. That doesn’t mean he earned it or whatever, but he got it, and I was happy he got the chance to fight for a world title. Came up short, it is what it is.
Aljamain Sterling is ready for one more crack at UFC gold.
(Jeff Bottari via Getty Images)
“If they offer me that same opportunity, I’m taking it. I’m not going to go say, ‘Movsar deserves it over me — I’m defaulting out.’ That wouldn’t make any sense. This is an opportunity of a lifetime, and if they gave it to Movsar, I wouldn’t be upset.”
It’s been a long road to a first UFC title shot for Evloev. That goal still eludes the Russian, with nothing scheduled on the upcoming calendar for either him or Volkanovski.
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Sterling’s big claim to a title shot falls not only on legacy, but also the belief that Evloev — who has yet to finish an opponent in the promotion — isn’t the most exciting fighter.
“Who doesn’t want to see Volkanovski versus the ‘Funkmaster’? What are we talking about? What do we have to do to give the people what they want?” Sterling said. “Two OGs, two legends of their weight classes. Now I’m in a new one, trying to be a two-division champion against one of the all-time greats before he hangs it up.
“I think I more than deserved and earned my shot. With that said, Movsar vs. Lerone Murphy — I don’t think anyone is clamoring for watching that winner fight Volkanovski. So, give the fans something that they want to do. Give a compelling matchup. The storyline is there. We’ve trained together. It’s a great matchup. Styles make fights. And I don’t think these guys have anything for him. ‘Volk’ is just that damn good still. I guarantee if you give me the opportunity, I will figure out the puzzle or I will die trying to do it.”
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Although Sterling is adamant that he makes for a better choice than his past opponent, he remains a realist. Evloev has become about as undeniable a contender as can be, and holding a head-to-head win over Sterling as recently as December 2024 is glaring.
After the Zalal performance, Sterling has no indication of how the UFC feels regarding Volkanovski’s next challenger. He just believes his outings have been more impressive than Evloev’s since they fought.
“I do think he has earned it by now at this point,” Sterling said. “But if they also decide to say, hey, my fight was better, as Dana [White] has been saying as of late — whoever has the best performance is going to get the next shot, I’d like to think I’m probably that guy right now.”
