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While it didn’t quite come in the epic way he might’ve imagined, UFC 280 still saw Aljamain Sterling retain his bantamweight title by stopping T.J. Dillashaw via TKO in the second round.
Aljamain Sterling’s win over Dillashaw has cemented his spot as the UFC’s top bantamweight, but who should be next in line to challenge ‘Funk Master’?
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With the bantamweight division being totally loaded with talent right now, there are plenty of options for the next shot at Sterling – even if it’s hard to favor anyone against him right now.
With that in mind, here are five potential challengers to Aljamain Sterling’s bantamweight title after UFC 280.
#5. Aljamain Sterling vs. T.J. Dillashaw
Okay, so given the fact that Aljamain Sterling basically crushed T.J. Dillashaw in one-sided fashion in their long-awaited bantamweight title bout at UFC 280, the idea of the promotion giving the former titleholder another crack right away seems bizarre.
However, given that Dillashaw was clearly compromised thanks to an injured left shoulder that he apparently sustained before the fight, it wouldn’t be completely out of the realm of possibility to see him granted a rematch.
It’s unlikely that he’d be allowed to fight ‘Funk Master’ again right away, but Sterling has fought twice in 2022 and so the next time we see him will probably be deep into 2023. If Dillashaw can recover from his injury – which isn’t impossible – and pick up a big win in the interim, he could well lay claim to a second shot at the champ.
Essentially, the chancs of this all depend on how much of a part much Dillashaw’s injury played in Sterling’s victory, as ‘Funk Master’ has already claimed that he’d have dominated the former titleholder regardless.
There’s only one way for him to prove that, of course – by beating Dillashaw again. Right now, the chances of a rematch seem slim, but stranger things have happened in the world of the UFC.
#4. Aljamain Sterling vs. Cory Sandhagen
The fight that really put Aljamain Sterling on the map as an elite-level bantamweight was his 2020 victory over Cory Sandhagen. ‘Funk Master’ put away a fighter who was, at the time, unbeaten in the octagon with a first-round rear-naked choke.
Since then, Sandhagen has won three of his next five bouts, with his only losses coming in close calls against Petr Yan and T.J. Dillashaw. In fact, his clash with Dillashaw was so close that in a parallel universe, he could’ve been fighting Sterling at UFC 280 last night.
So has ‘The Sandman’ earned a second crack at the champion? Not quite. Sure, he looked great in his recent win over the highly-touted Song Yadong, and his ruthless wins over Marlon Moraes and Frankie Edgar were hugely impressive.
However, he probably needs one more big win to cement a title shot. But if Sterling takes some time to rest after his win over Dillashaw, there’s definitely the chance that Sandhagen could pull that win off.
Right now, ‘The Sandman’ does not have a fight booked in the near future. If he could beat someone like Marlon Vera or Merab Dvalishvili, he could definitely find himself on the cusp of a title shot, and a chance to avenge his loss to ‘Funk Master’.
#3. Aljamain Sterling vs. Marlon Vera
From a sheer excitement point of view, perhaps the best challenger that the UFC could book for Aljamain Sterling could be Marlon Vera. ‘Chito’ is not only ranked at No.5 in the bantamweight division right now, but he’s arguably the most ruthless finisher at 135lbs, too.
The native of Ecuador was last seen in the octagon in August, when he violently stopped former champion and legend Dominick Cruz with a fourth-round head kick. The win was Vera’s fourth in a row, and his fifth in his last six fights.
More importantly, on paper at least, ‘Chito’ could definitely provide Sterling with a very tricky test. He’s got almost unmatched striking power and has a ridiculous killer instinct. While he isn’t the best wrestler, he does have a venomous submission game and has never really been dominated on the ground.
Does Vera need one more big win to stake his claim to a title shot? It’s debatable, but the fact that he holds a 2020 victory over Sean O’Malley, who edged out former titleholder and the No.1-ranked Petr Yan at UFC 280, there’s a chance that he could jump the queue.
Either way, if the promotion wants to guarantee some fireworks for Sterling’s next fight, they could definitely do worse than to book this clash.
#2. Aljamain Sterling vs. Merab Dvalishvili
Given that he’s on one of the lengthiest winning streaks in the bantamweight division right now – eight fights in a row – and most recently retired a genuine legend in Jose Aldo, it’s arguable that the most deserving challenger for Aljamain Sterling’s crown would be Merab Dvalishvili.
Not only does the Georgian possess a grappling game that could test the champion, but with an amazing gas tank and power in his strikes, he doesn’t hold any clear-cut weaknesses.
However, there’s a big problem with the idea of ‘The Machine’ making a run for the title, and that’s the fact that he’s a teammate and close friend of ‘Funk Master’.
In fact, Sterling has gone on record as stating that he’ll never fight the Georgian. In May, he outright claimed that he’d probably move to 145lbs before stepping into the octagon against his teammate.
However, the fact is that the UFC – and Dana White in particular – has never cared for the idea of teammates being unwilling to face off. More to the point, money talks in the world of MMA, and we’ve seen numerous teammates fall out once they got to the elite level, with famed rivalries such as Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans and Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz starting in such a way.
With that considered, would it be a real shock for White to push for this bout at some point in the near future? Absolutely not. If the right amount of money is on the table, it’s a fight that could definitely make sense for both men, too.
#1. Aljamain Sterling vs. Sean O’Malley
After his big win over Petr Yan at UFC 280 this weekend, there’s no disputing that the fighter most likely to receive the next shot at bantamweight kingpin Aljamain Sterling is rising star Sean O’Malley.
Not only is ‘Sugar’ likely to climb up in the rankings, perhaps even into the top contender’s slot, by the time the next update comes around, but he’s also seen by the promotion as the fastest rising star in the division.
Of course, O’Malley’s win over Yan came with plenty of controversy. Most observers – including reliable online outlets, as well as the majority of UFC fighters commenting on social media – felt that ‘No Mercy’ actually deserved the decision from the judges, with some even suggesting the Russian had won all three rounds.
However, there was no disputing the effectiveness of O’Malley’s performance. Even if he’d lost the bout, the idea that ‘Sugar’ is not an elite-level fighter must surely be buried at this stage.
So will the promotion be willing to push him directly into a title bout with Sterling? It’s debatable.
On one hand, O’Malley now has 10 fights in the octagon under his belt, with eight of them ending in wins. For comparison’s sake, Conor McGregor’s first title fight against Chad Mendes in 2015 was his sixth. It’s hard to argue that ‘Sugar’ doesn’t have the credentials any more, particularly after his fight with Yan.
On the other hand, though, O’Malley himself seems to recognize the importance of building his own brand. So, it’s likely he’ll demand a hefty pay check to fight for the title, meaning that Dana White and company could easily overlook him for a cheaper option like Marlon Vera.
Overall, there’s no denying that a fight pitting O’Malley’s flashy striking style against the powerful grappling of Sterling would be hugely intriguing and is probably the best bantamweight title bout that could be put together right now. The only question is whether the UFC will go for it.
