Aljamain Sterling hints at Henry Cejudo using steroids in retirementÂ
Aljamain Sterling is set to welcome Henry Cejudo back from retirement at UFC 288 this weekend. The pair will headline the pay-per-view card, and are scheduled to do battle for the bantamweight title.
Cejudo retired from MMA in 2020 following his title-win over Dominick Cruz at UFC 249, and is set to return after three years away.
The 'Funk Master' was recently interviewed by TMZSports ahead of his clash against Cejudo. The bantamweight champion previewed the UFC 288 main event, and hinted at 'Triple C' possibly using performance enhancing drugs during his retirement.
USADA, the drug-testing agency employed by the UFC, does not test fighters who have retired from MMA. Given Conor McGregor's recent fiasco with USADA, the topic is front of mind for the 'Funk Master'.
Aljamain Sterling said this:
"I think [Cejudo] might feel better in the sense of having the time to recover and do whatever he needed to do when he was outside of the [USADA] testing pool. I'll let the fans' minds wander with that one. When you don't have USADA testing you and six or seven o'clock in the morning, you're a little more free to do whatever you want and put whatever you want in your body. I'm not saying he's doing any of that, but it would be naive not to think that he has. Especially if you're not competing anymore."
Watch the interview below from 0:25:
Aljamain Sterling will make UFC bantamweight history if he defeats Henry Cejudo at UFC 288 this weekend. The 'Funk Master' has currently defended the title twice in his career - which ties the divisional record - and a third defense would put him atop the list.
Aljamain Sterling thinks Henry Cejudo's passion for wrestling may be fleeting
Aljamain Sterling has developed one of the most effective and complete grappling styles in MMA, and uses his collegiate wrestling background to employ his deadly BJJ skills and back control.
However, his opponent at UFC 288 this weekend, Henry Cejudo, is an equally skilled and more accomplished wrestler. Cejudo has an Olympic gold medal for freestyle wrestling, and will push Sterling to the limit this weekend.
However, the 'Funk Master' believes that Cejudo's passion for wrestling may have dwindled over the years.
Aljamain Sterling was recently interviewed by ESPN MMA, and said this:
"You can have the gold medal, but at the end of the day this is a completely different sport. You did that when you were 18 or 19 years old, dude you're 36 now. I don't think he is wrestling the way he was wrestling when he first started MMA. I'm still wrestling almost everyday..."
Watch the video below from 20:55: