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Reigning UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling has provided fans with an insight into his grueling training for his upcoming fight.
'Funk Master' is set to defend his title against former UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 280 on October 22nd.
In a video posted to his FunkMasterMMA YouTube channel, Sterling detailed his approach to training ahead of his much-awaited clash against Dillashaw. Shedding light upon his grappling training, in particular, Sterling stated:
"Good morning sessions -- Gotta get some good pushes, good rounds with the guys; a lot of up and down, attacking with the takedowns. My mindset today was just to be as aggressive as I possibly can be; pushing the pace, looking for takedown entries even if I don't get it."
He continued:
"Just being relentless with pulling on the head; hand-fighting and just trying to exhaust the guy while looking for my offensive attack. We had Matt. Matt Serra even jumped in and had some of the guys taking certain positions. I start on the bottom, or they start on top, or they take my back with the hook in, and just working out of those positions."
Aljamain Sterling suggested that if he manages to pass his sparring partner's guard and secure a dominant position, they switch the sparring partner during the same round to make the session more challenging.
The 33-year-old noted that he put in a lot of good work over the course of his day. Furthermore, Aljamain Sterling emphasized that he underwent "functional training with a pace" rather than simply rolling without a goal in mind.
Watch Sterling discuss the topic in the video below:
Chael Sonnen reveals why he's changed his prediction for Aljamain Sterling vs. T.J. Dillashaw
In a recent interview with James Lynch, MMA legend Chael Sonnen explained that a couple of years back, he'd have predicted that T.J. Dillashaw would surely defeat Aljamain Sterling. However, Sonnen indicated that after watching Sterling's recent performances, he believes Dillashaw won't have it easy against him.
Many in the MMA community view Dillashaw as one of the most well-rounded fighters in the sport. Regardless, Sonnen insinuated that Sterling's recent fights against Petr Yan showed his greatness. Lauding 'Funk Master' for the improvements he's made in recent years, Sonnen said:
"I didn't realize Aljo was an absolute master of positions on the ground. 'Aljo' on someone's back, I've never seen anything like it. Gordon Ryan isn't as good on somebody's back as Aljo is... A number of years ago, I would have told you T.J. [would win] and I'd have been real confident. I'm not confident anymore, this is a very close match."
Watch Sonnen's assessment in the video below:
