Aljamain Sterling’s journey in the fighting realm has been seasoned with diverse experiences, yet his UFC 296 escapade proved to be an unprecedented chapter. Anticipating his presence at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena for the final UFC pay-per-view of 2023, the former bantamweight champion, along with his entourage, faced an unforeseen hurdle upon their arrival – an absence of available tickets. Sterling took to social media to address the situation, extending apologies to fans who might have felt overlooked during his wait outside.
When questioned about Sterling’s ticket predicament, UFC CEO Dana White suggested that the tickets were arranged through a sponsor, expressing uncertainty about why they might have been revoked. Sterling responded to White’s remarks on his YouTube channel, acknowledging a potential disconnect in communication.
“I’m not trying to fan the flames; I think somewhere there was a little bit of a disconnect,” Sterling said. “The only thing I didn’t really understand is someone sent me the clip of Dana saying that the tickets were through a sponsor. I don’t know what that was about because I’ve never had tickets from a sponsor for any of the UFC fights; I always go through the same exact channels every single time.”
Reflecting on the situation, Sterling highlighted the anomaly of this occurrence and clarified that he had consistently sought tickets through standard UFC channels. He expressed a wish for more timely information, emphasizing the importance of early communication, regardless of the outcome.
Sterling recounted that he and his associates eventually enjoyed the pay-per-view event at a rooftop bar after leaving the arena. Although attempts were made by UFC staff to rectify the situation, Sterling had already departed by the time they reached out.
“I’m not going to say it’s on purpose either,” Sterling said. “I’m going to chalk it up that it was someone dropped the ball. Maybe they didn’t put the request in when I asked for both events in advance, because I normally ask for both.”
Acknowledging the occasional miscommunication in fighter seating, Sterling drew parallels to a past incident involving Josh Emmett and Urijah Faber. Despite the setback, Sterling conveyed understanding and a commitment to being more vigilant in securing tickets for future events.
“They did reach out, which was cool,” Sterling said. “Hopefully, it never happens again, and from now on, for me, always confirm before leaving the house because that was just crazy. I just could never do that again because that was rough.”