Aljamain Sterling confirms plan to leave bantamweight division after UFC 292 in August: ‘It’s the weight cut’
Ahead of his upcoming UFC 292 headliner in August, undisputed bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling has confirmed he plans to end his career-tenure in the division, citing a continued difficult weight cut to 135 pounds.
Sterling, the current undisputed bantamweight champion, is scheduled to make his return to the Octagon at UFC 292 on August 19. from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts – taking on the #2 ranked bantamweight challenger, Sean O’Malley.
Most recently returning to the Octagon at UFC 288 back in May of this year this, Sterling became the most prolific bantamweight champion in the history of the promotion, successfully defending the division crown for the third consecutive occasion.
Headlining in Newark, New Jersey – defeating the returning former two-weight champion and Olympic gold medalist, Henry Cejudo in a hard-fought split decision win.
Aljamain Sterling confirms plan to leave bantamweight division after August fight
Weighing up a move to the organization’s featherweight division as his Serra-Longo MMA teammate, Merab Dvalishvili continues his run through the bantamweight ranks en route to the number one rank in the division, Sterling confirmed that he plans to exit the weight class following his return in August.
“This is probably my last fight at bantamweight,” Aljamain Sterling told Chamatkar Sandhu during a recent interview. “Even if I were to ‘learn’ and I didn’t get my hand raised, it damn sure ain’t because of Sean O’Malley running me out of the division.”
“It’s more so – this sh*t is getting old, man,” Aljamain Sterling explained. “It hurts – it’s the weight cut.”
Initially winning undisputed bantamweight gold back in 2021 with a disqualification win over Russian rival, Petr Yan – Sterling would then successfully unify the bantamweight titles against the Dudinka native in April of last year.
In his second consecutive successful title defense back in October in the co-main event of UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi, UAE – Sterling landed a one-sided second round ground strikes TKO win over former two-weight champion, T.J. Dillashaw.
