Jimmie Rivera doesn’t see the benefit of fighting Aljamain Sterling.
Rivera was scheduled to face Dominick Cruz inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada at UFC 219. The bantamweight bout was set to take place on Dec. 30. It’s possible that the winner would’ve been awarded a title shot.
With Cruz injured, Rivera is left without a dance partner. “El Terror” has made it clear that he only wants a number one contender fight or a title bout next. Despite some social media beef with Aljamain Sterling, Rivera isn’t interested in the match-up.
He explained why to MMAJunkie.com:
“A win over Sterling – everyone says I’m going to run through him, and I am going to run through him. He’s not going to help me get the belt. He’s not a No. 1 contender fight. It’s not going to work out with him at all. The one thing I said numerous times is that once I am champ, I’m not going to turn down a fight. I will fight whoever they want me to fight because I’m the champ, and that’s an obligation. Now I’m not the champ, and I’m trying to work for it. A fight with him doesn’t make sense. He beat a nobody and he beat a washed-up (Renan) Barao.”
