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UFC 273 was a night of redemption for Aljamain Sterling. The reigning UFC bantamweight champion returned to the octagon following a year-long layoff due to a neck injury. He fought interim bantamweight champion Petr Yan in the co-main event and was able to unify the titles.
The bout was a rematch of their 2021 matchup, during which ‘Funk Master’ became the new champion via disqualification. For the past year, Yan has been looking to rectify the loss and prove that he is the true champion. However, the current champion wanted to silence the doubters who felt his reign was undeserving because of what transpired.
‘Funk Master’ stuck to his strengths and forced ‘No Mercy’ to fight off his back. He looked great and earned the split-decision win after the judges scored the bout 48-47, 48-47, and 47-48. This list will look at five opponents for Aljamain Sterling after his UFC 273 win.
#5. Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz
Since his loss to former UFC bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo, Dominick Cruz has experienced a career resurgence. The former two-time bantamweight champion has won back-to-back fights against Casey Kenney and Pedro Munhoz.
‘The Dominator’ has shown that he still has plenty of fight left and wants to make another run at the title. He’s currently the No.7-ranked bantamweight and could be a realistic matchup for the champion if he continues winning. In fact, he can get back into the title picture depending on who he fights next.
Cruz would make for an exciting matchup against Sterling since his movements could make it difficult for ‘Funk Master’ to take him down and control him on the ground. ‘The Dominator’ pivots and switches stances very well, so he rarely stands still. He has excellent takedown defense, so Sterling will have to be confident with his striking.
#4. Former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan
A trilogy bout could be inevitable despite having two wins over former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan. When considering what transpired in the first bout, one could argue that the two are equal. ‘No Mercy’ was getting the better of Sterling until the illegal knee in their first encounter.
In their rematch this past Saturday, ‘Funk Master’ won a close split decision that could’ve gone either way. If Yan defeats a couple of top contenders decisively, it will make a strong case for a trilogy bout. It would give Sterling another opportunity to finish Yan and leave no doubt who the better fighter is.
During his post-event press conference, Dana White mentioned that he felt ‘No Mercy’ won three rounds. But he added that the trilogy isn’t something he’s interested in booking immediately. The fight will always be there, and if it’s not a title fight, it could still serve as a future headliner.
#3. Former UFC two-division champion Henry Cejudo
Although he didn’t fight at UFC 273, Henry Cejudo still made headlines following the event. The former two-division champion tweeted that he intends to re-enter the USADA testing pool and return to the octagon.
Since retiring in 2020, Cejudo has made it clear that he aspires to become the promotion’s first three-division champion. If he doesn’t get a featherweight title shot, he should immediately be in the mix for a bantamweight title shot. ‘Triple C’ never lost the title, and the idea of him regaining the title after a two-year hiatus would be intriguing.
It’d be interesting to see whether Sterling can succeed with his grappling against the former Olympic Gold medalist. Cejudo would clearly have the advantage in wrestling, but he was successful with his striking in his most recent bouts. Prior to his retirement, ‘Triple C’ had won six straight bouts, with the final three coming via TKO.
#2. Former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo
Since moving down to 135 lbs, Jose Aldo has been on a quest to join the list of two-division champions. Despite a rough start at 135 lbs, he has turned things around and has hit his stride in the new weight division.
‘Junior’ is riding a three-fight winning streak that saw him earn a unanimous decision in each bout. He seems to have figured out the weight cut and looks more comfortable in each fight. Aldo’s wins include Marlon Vera, Pedro Munhoz, and Rob Font. His power hasn’t gone away, and he has showcased the elite striking that led to him becoming an all-time great.
It would be interesting to see how a fight between Sterling and Aldo would play out. ‘Junior’ has excellent takedown defense and is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, which would make him a difficult challenge to overcome.
#1. Former UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw
Soon after retaining the UFC bantamweight championship against Petr Yan, it became clear that T.J. Dillashaw was next in line. The former bantamweight champion was in attendance and was even shown on the broadcast during Sterling’s post-fight interview with Joe Rogan.
Dillashaw looked great when he returned from his suspension last year. He defeated a top-ranked fighter in Cory Sandhagen via split-decision to get back into the division's top. Before heading into the bout, there were questions surrounding how Dillashaw would perform, especially considering he had been inactive for two years.
With ‘Funk Master’ vs. Dillashaw seemingly all but confirmed, it’ll be interesting to see how they match up with each other. Sterling’s grappling may cause Dillashaw to fight more cautiously in the opening moments of the bout. He’s confident with his striking and could use Yan’s performance against ‘Funk Master’ in the first bout as an example.
