Aljamain Sterling will make his featherweight debut this weekend on the prelims of UFC 300 when he faces the experienced Calvin Kattar.
This is the first time in his UFC career that Sterling has made the shift from bantamweight. He seemingly found the comfort he sought since going undefeated in 2018. That was until he fell short and lost his status as bantamweight champion against Sean O’Malley.
It may look to most that the ‘Funkmaster’ is changing divisions just because he lost the belt. Though, he has already assured fans that this is not the case.
The former bantamweight champion claimed on The MMA Hour that the decision came about due to facing barriers in regards to his health when cutting. So, it only makes sense for a permanent shift to move up in class to be closer to his natural weight.
The Renaissance of Aljamain Sterling
Sterling first reaped UFC gold back in 2021 through dismal fashion against Petr Yan. The Russian was disqualified for an illegal knee that struck the challenger while he was grounded.
In a bid to leave no stone unturned, the rematch was activated just over a year later. A split decision edged in Sterling’s favour would be the former champion’s first title defence, and a statement was made.
Sterling improved to three title defences hastily in just 13 months. After picking up text-book victories over TJ Dillashaw and Henry Cejudo, the complexion of the bantamweight division changed.
And that was because of Sean O’Malley.
A supreme striker that many fans thought Sterling was going to suppress, was wrong. It was the end of an admirable journey to the top for ‘Funkmaster’.
Following some time for reflection, the former champion will still feature on the most incredible UFC cards in years to come.
Salvaging Success Away From Bantamweight
Lingering at the fringe, but still registered as the number 15 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. Aljamain Sterling knows he has to prove his worth if he still wants to be involved in title talks.
Before his loss to O’Malley, the Jamaican representative told E. Spencer Kyte of the UFC: “I was talking to Al Iaquinta about (talks of being an all-time great): this is all icing on the cake.
“I’ve accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish, originally, when I first got into the sport, and now everything is just extra accolades and extra things I can add to the mantle.”
Appreciating these comments retrospectively, Sterling’s actions today show ambition. He admits that he could just hang up the gloves now, but it appears that a hole is missing for the 34-year-old – can he do it in a heavier division?
Aljamain Sterling’s move up creates even more intrigue for featherweight fans, as we may have a new contender who plans on staying for a while.
However, the current landscape for the division is hazy. Alexander Volkanovski is taking a well-deserved break after back-to-back knockout defeats, Max Holloway is taking on Justin Gaethje at lightweight on UFC 300, and Ilia Topuria is flirting with Sean O’Malley and Islam Makhachev.
It looks like a win against Kattar could take the featherweight newcomer straight to the top, or put him in a title eliminator against the likes of Brian Ortega – who is fresh off a win over Yair Rodriguez.
Sterling V Kattar – Who Will Come Out On Top?
For someone who has been out of action for over two years and is currently on a two-fight losing streak, the odds are highly stacked against Calvin Kattar.
An argument could be made that Kattar has been a staple in the UFC’s featherweight division for seven years. Sterling is also moving into unfamiliar territory in terms of weight. The American is well known for his striking that has produced commendable performances against Josh Emmett and Max Holloway. If Kattar can conjure up an O’Malley-like overhand maybe the underdog can shake the division up himself.
Still ranked as the eighth-best featherweight, Kattar is a well-respected fighter. He will always show grit when the kitchen sink is thrown at him, and I think he will once again. But it will not be enough against Sterling.
It’s a tough comeback fight and kudos to Kattar for taking it. With Sterling’s well-rounded style, he could easily take this fight to the ground and finish it there. A key factor for many when making a decision here is the comparison between rustiness. Besides, facing a former champion after a two-year layoff would be difficult for anyone, including Kattar.
If Sterling succeeds, could he go on to be the fifth two-weight champion in the UFC?
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
