"I'm the next guy in line" - Aljamain Sterling urges Dana White to book him against Petr Yan next
UFC bantamweight Aljamain Sterling is frustrated with the UFC and what his employer Dana White recently said has irked him further.
Aljamain Sterling is a top contender in the 135 lbs division with a five-fight win streak inside the Octagon, including a “Performance of the Night” award in his most recent fight where he submitted Cory Sandhagen. After these performances, one would imagine that Aljamain Sterling has done enough to secure a title shot, but Dana White begs to differ.
UFC president Dana White still isn't willing to declare Sterling as the next challenger to Petr Yan's title. Yan was recently crowned as the new bantamweight champion with a violent fifth-round TKO win against former featherweight champ Aldo at UFC 251 on July 11. At the UFC 251 post-fight press conference, while acknowledging the fact that Aljamain Sterling is right up there in contention for a title shot, White said that he isn't sure if Sterling definitely will face Yan up next.
“I don’t know. He’s in there. He’s up there. He’s one of them.”
Of course, even if the UFC frontman had announced Sterling as the next title contender, we've seen many such plans go haywire in the UFC before so nothing is guaranteed until the fight is announced officially. Aljamain Sterling is understandably frustrated with the whole situation as he feels he's done enough to deserve a shot at the title and took to Twitter recently to address White’s comments.
“There is NOTHING to THINK about Dana White! I am the next guy in line! I earned my shot and it’s time for me to realize a dream! Cut the games!”
Aljamain Sterling posted another video showing Dana White announcing him as the title contender following his win over Sandhagen just a few weeks before Petr Yan got the better of bantamweight debutante Jose Aldo to become the new champion.