Aljamain Sterling had more going on during UFC Vegas 116 fight week than just Youssef Zalal.
Sterling revealed in his latest interview with Ariel Helwani that he signed a new UFC contract before his April 25 main event win over Zalal. The former UFC bantamweight champion said he did not even realize he was entering the final fight of his previous deal until UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell called him.
“I got a new deal with the company too, so I’m super happy about that,” Sterling said.
When Helwani asked if he had been on the final fight of his deal, Sterling explained how the call came together.
“Yeah, which I didn’t know until like last week when Hunter called me,” Sterling said. “It was odd, because I thought I had two fights. And when he called me, that was the odd part, because I was like, ‘Why is Hunter calling me?’ It was like, ‘Did I do something wrong?’ It’s like, ‘Did I say something that it’s gonna come back to bite me in the ass right now?’”
Sterling said the conversation turned positive, and the bigger issue was whether he still wanted to stay with the UFC.
“And we talked and we had a good conversation,” Sterling said. “And the main thing to take away from the conversation was if I want to be here or not. I told him like, ‘Yeah dude, I don’t know how it might come off and be perceived to you,’ but he kind of felt like maybe I didn’t. But I said, ‘No, this is, I would hope to retire with the company.’”
Here is the full interview clip:
Aljamain Sterling reveals he signed new contract with the UFC before his fight with Youssef Zalal:
"[I was on my last fight], which I didn’t know until last week when Hunter called me. I was like, ‘Why is Hunter calling me? Did I do something wrong?’
We had a good conversation.… pic.twitter.com/k7XSK0RNI6
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) April 27, 2026
Sterling Wants His Final UFC Run To Mean Something
Sterling did not sound like a fighter trying to play free agency games. He sounded like someone who still views the UFC as home after a run full of title fights, criticism, pressure, and the usual madness that comes with being near the top.
“The UFC has just given me so much,” Sterling said. “And I’ve met so many great fans around the world, different states and things like that. And I’m just blessed. And like I said, I’m glass half full all the time. Even when things are not going my way, I find a way to look at the bright side. And I’m just happy to be here, man. And one fight at a time, when it’s all said and done, I would love to have my last dance with the UFC.”
Sterling said he believes the new deal is for “five or six” fights, though he admitted he did not remember the exact number offhand. He also said title-shot language, contractual details, and pay were part of the discussion.
“There’s title shot contractual stuff and pay and things like that,” Sterling said. “I don’t know the fine details, but it was a good deal. I’m happy with it. You could always be happier, right? You could always make even more and be happy. But overall I’m happy. I’m making good money for a non-title pay, so I’m happy. And title shot, I get that opportunity, get paid.”
Sterling also explained why the money matters beyond his own bank account. He said part of the goal is making sure the people helping him through camp are taken care of too.
“And I can continue to do what I love to do, still invest in my future, do all these other cool things with my friends,” Sterling said. “And the main thing I like the extra pay for, I have training partners who have not had this level of success yet. And I just try to take care of them as best as I can. So whenever someone’s a part of my training camp, I pay them out, I’ll take care of them. And that’s what it’s all about for me, giving these guys an opportunity so that they can also chase their dreams.”
Sterling added that he wants that support to keep moving down the line.
“Hopefully they can do the same thing for the next individuals coming up,” Sterling said. “So I’m always trying to pull somebody up, extend the ladder and help them climb up.”
Sterling joked that he is not using the money recklessly, then brought it back to the bigger point.
“It’s not like I’m taking the money, going to do cocaine and shit like that, which I’ve never done,” Sterling said. “I’m still young. There’s still time and opportunity. But yeah, for me, that’s what it’s all about. Giving back. Money is resource. And it allows you that opportunity to do good things with it. A person is going to be the person who they are with or without money. And thankfully, money hasn’t changed me for the worst. It actually made me feel better.”
Sterling is coming off a unanimous decision win over Zalal in a five-round main event on April 25, 2026. The victory moved him to 26-5 and kept him at No. 5 in the UFC featherweight rankings.
His background makes the new deal matter. Sterling is a former UFC bantamweight champion, a former Cage Fury bantamweight champion, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Matt Serra, and a two-time NCAA Division III All-American wrestler from SUNY Cortland. He also holds the UFC record for most consecutive bantamweight title defenses with three.
Zalal was not a soft rebound fight either. The Moroccan featherweight entered as a ranked contender with a dangerous submission game and strong momentum. Sterling handled him over five rounds, which keeps him alive in a featherweight title picture that already includes Alexander Volkanovski, Movsar Evloev, and a crowded line of contenders trying to cut the same line.
Now Sterling has the Zalal win, the new UFC deal, and no contract cloud hanging over the next move. The UFC can book him into a title eliminator, an Evloev rematch, or another name that keeps him close enough to the belt.
