Aljamain Sterling silences debate over whether fighters should be rewarded for takedown defense
Aljamain Sterling has silenced the debate over fighters getting points for takedown defense.
In MMA, a fighter is rewarded with points for successfully taking down his opponent. However, that is not the case when a fighter successfully defends the takedown attempt and avoids being taken down. The same has been a topic of debate for a while, with many suggesting that fighters should get points for their defense.
However, that shouldn't be the case, according to UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling. In a recently uploaded video on his Twitter account, Sterling spoke about why the idea of getting points for a takedown defense does not make any sense:
"People were saying you should get points rewarded for stopping takedowns. Well the reward is not getting taken down because if you got taken down, you would get ruined out there and exhausted. So, the reward is you stop the takedown. Why would you get points for a defensive tactic? That's like saying you should get points in a basketball game for having good defense and they didn't score."
Watch the clip below:
Some people think you should receive points for not being taken down. I think that’s silly. Imagine a wrestling match where a defensive wrestler kept getting points for stopping the offense takedown attempts? MADNESS! The reward is not being a pony!
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youtu.be/UC0B17Z8Oao https://t.co/Q6XemwGq86
Dana White reacts to Merab Dvalishvili refusing to fight Aljamain Sterling
Dana White doesn't appear to agree with bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili's decision not to fight Aljamain Sterling. The Georgian defeated Petr Yan at UFC Fight Night 221 last weekend and has more than earned a shot at the bantamweight title.
However, Merab Dvalishvili has made it known that he is not going to fight for the title if it is against his friend Aljamain Sterling. It is worth noting that the two have been training together since 2013 and have a very close friendship.
Reacting to the same at a press conference, Dana White said:
"You can still be friends and want what your friend has. It would be a really bad idea for Merab to go down that path... Does Merab want a shot at the title? Or would Merab rather have people under him jump over him and him have to take on all these different tough guys when he's not even getting a title shot when he's next in line for it. That's a personal decision that he needs to make, if that's what he wants to do. I can tell you how that story ends, it's not a good ending to that story."
Watch the video below: