- Aljamain Sterling would consider himself the GOAT of bantamweight division if he manages to beat Henry Cejudo at UFC 288.
- “Funkmaster” said he only has one or two more fights at 135 and he’ll move up to featherweight
Aljamain Sterling is just several weeks away from defending his bantamweight title against Henry Cejudo. Ahead of the fight, “Funkmaster” said that a win over “Triple C” would ultimately make him the 135-pound division GOAT.
One win is enough
Speaking to Inside Fighting, Sterling pointed out that he doesn’t even have to finish Cejudo to be considered the greatest bantamweight in history.
“I think if I stop Henry Cejudo or even just beat him, I think I’m in that conversation,” Sterling said.
Two rounds only
Cejudo is coming in off a three-year layoff but he hasn’t been stopped by any fighter since 2016. Regardless, Sterling sees himself stopping “Triple C” within two rounds.
“I think I’m stopping him in the second round. That’s the plan right now [with] the way I’m training. try to gas pedal him a little bit, get him on a back foot if I can get him down that’d be ideal, I think once I get the take down secured, I think I just pound him, either he gives up his neck for the submission or pound him out,” he predicted.
Moving on
Sterling has not shied away from voicing his desire to move up to the featherweight division soon. He doesn’t have a specific timeframe yet as to when he wants to make his 145-pound debut but he thinks he only got one to two more fights in the bantamweight division.
“One, two, I think two at the most… and I’ll be up at featherweight, get big and see how I do with these guys over there and I mean, I do a pretty good job in the room, just more so just getting acclimated to the weight, the stress and making sure I can compete with those guys,” the champ revealed.
Sterling will be looking to defend his bantamweight title for the third time. On the other hand, Cejudo plans to become the bantamweight champ again before moving up and competing for the featherweight title. The pair will face each other at UFC 288 which will take place on May 6.
