"No contract signed here" - Aljamain Sterling denies authenticity of T.J. Dillashaw fight reports
![T.J. Dillashaw (left) and Aljamain Sterling (right) [Images courtesy of Getty]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/06/893fa-16553878348669-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aljamain Sterling recently refuted claims that he will be facing T.J. Dillashaw in September.
Sterling and Dillashaw are reportedly set to engage at UFC 279 on September 10. There is widespread news about the bantamweight gold being on the line. However, the champion claims that he doesn't know anything about the fight and hasn't signed a contract yet for the clash. 'Funk Master' commented on a recent Instagram post from MMA Fighting:
"I didn’t know anything was happening. No contract signed here."
Check out the screenshot of Aljamain Sterling's comment on MMA Fighting's post:
Dillashaw and Sterling have had a few verbal exchanges since the 32-year-old's successful first defense of his title against Petr Yan at UFC 273. Sterling managed to earn a split-decision win against the Russian.
The win was quite a statement from Sterling considering he had been the subject of constant criticism from fans due to the controversial nature in which he won the belt back at UFC 259. He was named the champion after Petr Yan landed an illegal knee during that contest.
Dillshaw, meanwhile, made a successful return to competition last year. He defeated Cory Sandhagen after a hiatus of two-and-a-half years. The former champion was suspended in 2019 due to testing positive for PED use. He is keen to get a crack at the title that once belonged to him. While Sterling hasn't confirmed the bout, all signs point to the 36-year-old Dillashaw getting his shot at redemption next.
Is Aljamain Sterling vs. T.J. Dillashaw the fight to make next?
The UFC bantamweight division is stacked with contenders. The likes of Jose Aldo, Cory Sandhagen, T.J. Dillashaw, and more are looking for a shot at the title.
Aljamain Sterling is not expected to fight Petr Yan for the trilogy next as the Russian might need to win a fight or two to reclaim his spot as the No.1 contender.
A fight between Sterling and Cejudo has been teased for a while. The former two-division champion is looking to make a return to the octagon and is keen to take on the current 135lbs champion. However, a timeline for his comeback is not known.
All things considered, Dillashaw certainly looks like the perfect candidate to fight Sterling for the undisputed bantamweight title next.