Aljamain Sterling, after losing the UFC bantamweight title to Sean O’Malley at UFC 292, found himself in an unexpected conversation with UFC CEO Dana White while enjoying a slice of pizza backstage. Sterling had opted to strike with O’Malley to please fans and his promoters but suffered the consequences of that choice.
Sterling felt that he wasn’t in the UFC’s good graces even before the fight was announced. He requested some time to confirm his ability to make a quick turnaround from a title defense against Henry Cejudo at UFC 288, but this led to the fans being turned against him.
He couldn’t figure out why White continues to take shots at him, both directly and indirectly, in public. White said Sterling’s public decisions diminished his popularity despite being a good person in private. Sterling expressed his frustration at not receiving positive remarks from White despite his loyalty to the UFC and his willingness to fight top contenders as asked by the promotion.
Sterling acknowledged his responsibility for taking a chance with the quick turnaround against O’Malley, but he believes the outcome might have been different with more preparation time. He is now considering his options in the bantamweight and featherweight divisions and is open to a rematch with O’Malley. However, a fight with his longtime training partner, Merab Dvalishvili, remains off the table, despite White’s comments about them “clogging up” the division.
Sterling is looking for some recognition from White for his dedication and commitment to the UFC and its fans.