The UFC’s former 135-pound champion Aljmain Sterling is to try his hand at featherweight, he has confirmed.
Sterling, whose nine-fight winning streak was ended by new champ Sean O’Malley back in August, has for several months been linked with a move north given that, at 34 and as one of the bantamweight division’s bigger fighters, the cut down to 135 had become increasingly arduous – despite never missing weight in his career.
But speaking to Demetrious Johnson on his ‘Mighty Podcast,’ Sterling confirmed it is time for a change.
“I’ve been 180, a little heavier than 180,” he said, as reported by MMA Weekly. ” It’s not a good, healthy 180, but I could get up there. I feel good fight where I’m at right now, I’m about 170, 171, and that’s a good, healthy weight for me. I’m not fat. I’ve got some abs going. I don’t know how I’ve ever made it (135) and I don’t know how I’ve made it for so long.
“I did the testing and my numbers came back that I’m 26.7 percent over the weight class limit in comparison with all the other bantamweights. I make the weight. People can say whatever they want. This is the only way I know how to compete from wrestling, to college wrestling, to now MMA. It’s not easy, but I always get it done.”
“I’ve always done it. It’s the only thing I’ve ever known and I’ve always competed at a high level and I won. I was like, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”
And as for who might welcome him to the new weight class? Sterling says he is interested in a fight with a certain Hawaiian.
“I think if I’m going to go up, why not shot for the stars. For me to go fight an up and comer doesn’t make a ton of sense. What does that do for me,” he said.
“I go in and win one fight against a guy like Max Holloway, I mean, I don’t think there’s anyone else to turn to. That guy is the one who is literally banishing all the contenders one by one, so if he’s going to keep dispatching these guys, it’s new blood, a new face. He doesn’t have anything to do right now. I don’t have anything to do right now. I think UFC 300 could be a fire card, comeback for that, or maybe March.”
