This weekend (Sat. September 8, 2018) Aljamain Sterling will return to the Octagon.
He will face Cody Stamann at UFC 228 on the FX preliminary card. Sterling defeated Brett Johns via unanimous decision in April. It was a bounce-back win after being gruesomely knocked out by Marlon Moraes in December.
Once again, Sterling will step into the cage against an opponent ranked lower than him. He’d like to get back to challenging the cream of the crop at 135 pounds. A potential win over Stamann may get him exactly that.
In an interview with Bloody Elbow, Sterling admitted he was taken aback when the UFC offered him Stamann. He then challenged the matchmaker, who he said would owe him a match when he finished Stamann:
“They offered me Cody Stamann,” said Sterling, with a pause for dramatic effect. “It’s kind of funny because I challenged the matchmaker, I said, ‘When I finish this guy you owe me a match, because this is the second guy in the row who has been an ‘up-and-comer.’’
“I really don’t get it – I guess we got to try and develop the division and keep the contenders coming up, and keep trying to get new blood in there. I understand my position right now, but I know what I’m still capable of.
“And I know some people count me out, but that’s the one thing about myself, I never count myself out.”
Discussion: Who do you think Sterling will be matched up with should he defeat Stamann? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
