Rivalries: Aljamain Sterling

Aljamain Sterling seeks validation.

The incumbent Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight titleholder will rematch interim champion Petr Yan to unify the 135-pound crown in the UFC 273 co-main event on Saturday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. Sterling has rattled off six consecutive victories. However, the 32-year-old Ray Longo and Matt Serra protege has not fought since he laid claim to the bantamweight throne with a disqualification win over Yan—an illegal knee in the fourth round was the culprit—at UFC 259 on March 6, 2021.

As Sterling prepares for the sequel and the continuation of his story with Yan at 135 pounds, a look at some of the other rivalries that have helped shape his career:

Raphael Assuncao

The World Extreme Cagefighting veteran leaned on experience and guile to escape with a contentious split decision over Sterling in a three-round UFC on Fox 23 bantamweight prelim on Jan. 28, 2017 at the Pepsi Center in Denver. All three judges struck 29-28 scorecards: Ron Mann and Ben Ramirez, for Assuncao, Hale Hilsabeck for Sterling. Neither fighter seemed eager to lead the dance, which resulted in periods of inactivity and a restless crowd. Sterling stayed busy with kicks to the legs and body, even as his opponent returned fire with punches upstairs. Assuncao countered effectively for much of the match, but, as has been the case throughout his career, he struggled with output. Sterling exploited that opening in the third round, where he landed with more regularity, pressured the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt by moving forward and uncorked simple but effective two-punch combinations. Nevertheless, the scorecards favored Assuncao and sent Sterling to his second straight setback.

Renan Barao

Sterling crossed a significant name off his list when he took a three-round unanimous decision from the former Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight titleholder as part of the UFC 214 undercard on July 29, 2017 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Scores were 29-28, 29-27 and 30-26. Once a staple of pound-for-pound lists, Barao started strong but faded late. Sterling overwhelmed him in the second round, where he executed a takedown and advanced to the back before settling in top position and applying his ground-and-pound. Fatigue became more and more of an issue for Barao as the minutes and seconds ticked off the clock. Sterling buzzed the tower with a front kick early in the third round and then smothered him in a series of clinches, as he let the punches fly along the way and cruised to the finish line with room to spare.

Marlon Moraes

The former World Series of Fighting champion laid waste to Sterling with a nuclear head kick turned knee strike in the first round of their UFC Fight Night 123 bantamweight feature on Dec. 9, 2017 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. The end came 67 seconds into Round 1, and it was brutal. Sterling was never afforded the opportunity to establish a foothold. Moraes drove him to the mat with a clubbing left hand, swooped into top position and extricated himself from an attempted armbar. The Brazilian then invited Sterling to stand. Moments later, Moraes clobbered the onetime Cage Fury Fighting Championships and Ring of Combat titleholder with a knee to the face. Sterling nosedived to the canvas stiff and unconscious, as he was finished for the first time in his career.

Cory Sandhagen

In what can only be described as a virtuoso performance, the ascendant Sterling submitted the burgeoning Elevation Fight Team start with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their UFC 250 bantamweight showcase on June 6, 2020 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Sandhagen conceded defeat 1:28 into Round 1, briefly lost consciousness and awakened to find the “Funk Master” in full-throated celebration. Sterling pressured his dangerous counterpart to the fence, forced a tie-up and maneuvered to the back while still upright. He secured his position with an airtight body triangle, went to work on the choke and eventually snaked his arms in place for the finish.

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