Aljamain Sterling makes honest admission on Sean O'Malley rematch and UFC's business-first mindset
Aljamain Sterling recently shared his take on Sean O'Malley being awarded a bantamweight title rematch against Merab Dvalishvili. He noted that the decision came down to business and highlighted what makes Dvalishvili vs. O'Malley 2 a logical matchup for the UFC.
Dvalishvili and O'Malley headlined Noche UFC 306, which took place at the Sphere last September. 'The Machine' earned an impressive unanimous decision win over 'Suga' to become the new bantamweight champion after utilizing his wrestling to dictate the pace of the fight.
The UFC recently announced that the rematch will take place in the main event of UFC 316 on June 7. The announcement was met with a mixed response from the MMA community, however, Sterling noted that he understood why it was booked.
Sterling responded to a fan on X by mentioning that O'Malley generates interest for the UFC and has earned his opportunity following his ascension up the bantamweight rankings:
"Honest answer, the UFC's gonna do what's best for the business and the brand. Would I have liked an immediate rematch due to the circumstances going into the first fight? Absolutely. But, I understand the business model better than most, and O'Malley is a really exciting guy that has beaten many top five contenders. So I think he rightfully deserves it after the ranked names he has beaten."
Check out Aljamain Sterling's comments below:
Aljamain Sterling reacts to Sean O'Malley's lifestyle changes
Aljamain Sterling also reacted to Sean O'Malley admitting that he has undergone some lifestyle changes since his bantamweight title loss to Merab Dvalishvili.
Sterling posted a clip to his X account in which he mentioned that he doesn't believe changing what has worked is necessarily a wise decision for O'Malley because it has had a positive effect on his career so far:
"Everyone made such a big thing, 'Oh, he's changing his life'... I'm like, those are the things that technically made you who you are and a champion... It's gotta be some type of method to the madness about the mental mind frame that you have to be in when you're going into the fight."
Check out Aljamain Sterling's post regarding Sean O'Malley below: