Aljamain Sterling reveals offer to fight Calvin Kattar in UFC return: ‘Respectfully, I would like to decline that’
Former undisputed bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling had clamored for a featherweight divisional climb prior to his championship loss back in August – and has now revealed that an offer from the UFC to fight division contender, Calvin Kattar slid across his desk recently.
Sterling, a former undisputed bantamweight champion under the banner of the promotion, most recently headlined UFC 292 back in August, suffering a spectacular second round TKO loss against surging contender, Sean O’Malley – dropping his championship as his record-setting reign as champion came to a crashing halt.
However, prior to the clash with the Montana native and Dana White’s Contender Series alum, Sterling maintained he wanted to make a featherweight division move, welcoming a title fight against undisputed titleholder, Alexander Volkanovski.
And off the back of his title fight loss, Uniondale native, Sterling was dismissed as a title challenger by Australian favorite, Volkanovski.
Aljamain Sterling reveals offer to fight Calvin Kattar
Weighing up his future, Serra-Longo MMA staple, Sterling suggested a potential fight with former champion, Max Holloway. And has now revealed, a fight against Boston striker, Kattar has been offered by the promotion – albeit, with a lack of interest from the former gold holder.
“Breaking news, I was offered (Calvin) Kattar, amongst three others,” Aljamain Sterling said on his YouTube channel. “Two other guys were actually friends so I said, ‘Respectfully, I would actually like to decline those.’ One of them was coming off a loss, and Kattar was the highest-ranking opponent out of them all.”
“I like Kattar,” Aljamain Sterling explained. “I’m just not really looking to go up and take a chance, I don’t mind taking a chance, but I’m not going to say, ‘Hey, I’m coming here for second place.’ If I go up, I’m going up to be number one. There’s no half-assing this process. That’s the thing I have to figure out.” (H/T MMA News)
The current number seven ranked featherweight champion, New England Cartel staple, Kattar has been sidelined since suffering a second round leg injury against Arnold Allen in a main event clash back in October of last year, which came as his second consecutive Octagon loss.
Would you have liked to have seen Aljamain Sterling fight Calvin Kattar?
