Aljamain Sterling’s got this vibe about him, you know? He’s all in on beating Sean O’Malley if they go head-to-head again. And why wouldn’t he be? The man’s got confidence spilling over.
So, there was this fight. O’Malley knocked Sterling out cold in the second round. This drama unfolded at UFC 292 back in August 2023. Since then, “Sugar” O’Malley’s been riding high, defending his title against Marlon Vera with a unanimous decision win at UFC 299. That was something to see, this past March.
On the flip side, Sterling’s been busy too. He made his featherweight debut and snagged a unanimous decision win over Calvin Kattar at UFC 300. That just happened last month. But here’s the kicker: Sterling says the prep for his fight with O’Malley wasn’t top-notch. Why? He was still reeling from his fight with Henry Cejudo in May 2023. And O’Malley? The guy had nearly a year to prep after his split-decision victory over Petr Yan in October 2022. Talk about a time advantage.
Sterling’s not just talking smack. He genuinely believes he’d take O’Malley down if given enough prep time, just like O’Malley had before their first brawl.
He opened up to Kanpai Media, getting real about the whole situation. “I had to chill for a month after the Cejudo fight ’cause my shins were wrecked,” Sterling shared. And O’Malley’s rib situation? Sterling’s not buying it. According to him, O’Malley had a cushy 10 months to gear up for their fight. Sterling, though? He was rushed back into the grind, championship pressures and all.
That night, O’Malley was on fire, and Sterling admits it wasn’t his night. But give him a fair shot, the same prep time as O’Malley, and he’s betting all he’s got on winning the rematch. Some might say he’s bitter, but Sterling’s just laying down the facts.
Now, with Sterling moving up to 145 pounds, it looks like his training buddy, Merab Dvalishvili, might be stepping into the ring with O’Malley next. The plot thickens, folks.