"Earn your seat at the table" - Aljamain Sterling challenges Umar Nurmagomedov to step out of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s shadow
Aljamain Sterling has not competed since defeating Calvin Kattar via unanimous decision at UFC 300 after making the move to featherweight. While he is no longer in the division, the former bantamweight champion has a vested interest in the weight class as his close friend and training partner Merab Dvalishvili has since claimed the title.
Sterling recently called out Umar Nurmagomedov, advising him to leave his cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov's shadow. During his appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, 'Funk Master' stated:
"I'm not saying he's not good. I love Umar, I think Umar is a great buy, but facts are the facts. I don't care what your cousin has done. That does not have any bearing on what you have done for the sport. You gotta cut your teeth in this game, not riding the coattails of your family's merit."
Sterling continued:
"I always say if I have kids, I want to make sure they're not riding off the coattails of what I do or have done in my life. I want to make sure they're out there, they're being go-getters. I think anyone with any type of real self worth would want to do that, earn their keep. You don't want to be feeling like the person who's just here because you were handed an invite versus actually earning to be at the table. Earn your seat at the table."
Check out Aljamain Sterling's comments on Umar Nurmagomedov below:
Sterling believes a potential bout between Nurmagomedov and Dvalishvili would be competitive. He noted that 'The Machine' has been helping him train for his upcoming fight, which in turn is allowing the bantamweight champion to stay active as he awaits his return to the octagon.
Aljamain Sterling previously exchanged words with Umar Nurmagomedov
Aljamain Sterling recently defended Merab Dvalishvili amidst claims that he is ducking Umar Nurmagomedov. He noted that the No. 2-ranked bantamweight is a completely different style of fight from Sean O'Malley, which is why 'The Machine' was open to rematching the latter in November.
'Young Eagle' fired back, labeling it as a "cheap excuse", leading 'Funk Master' to claim on X:
"Brother, this is a lazy rebuttal. Everything I said was accurate. If you were champ you would NEVER turn around for quick fights, and on your opponents desired timeline. You can’t use these false claims. Merab has competed against so many top guys and former champions and won. Earn it like the rest of us 💪🏾"
Check out Aljamain Sterling's tweet to Umar Nurmagomedov below:
Dvalishvili has shared that he plans to take time off from the octagon to advance business opportunities as a champion. Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov will not compete in March due to Ramadan putting the timeline for a potential clash in question.