"Not a guy that's gonna be willing to f***ing die in there" - Marlon Vera explains why Aljamain Sterling's fighting style won't work against T.J. Dillashaw
Aljamain Sterling will put his bantamweight title on the line against T.J. Dillashaw on a stacked UFC 280 card. The bout will mark his second title defense after a win against Petr Yan at UFC 273.
Fellow bantamweight contender Marlon 'Chito' Vera weighed in on the championship bout in an interview with Submission Radio. He spoke about how 'Funk Master' won't be leaving it all out in the octagon.
"Honestly, it's hard to know. I believe 'TJ' is gonna be aggressive, the guy's gonna come and look for the fight. Aljamain is-- The guy is not a guy that's gonna be willing to f*****g die in there and just sit down and scrap. He always tried to get a hold of you, get you tired, ground and pound you and hoping for a submission."
Vera continued and praised the effectiveness of Sterling's style of fighting:
"His whole career, he's been fighting like that. That doesn't mean he's not a good fighter, that doesn't mean he's not gonna beat you. That's what you're gonna be fooled by. Yeah, he's probably gonna be mean and enter to f**k you up but he will definitely get a hold of you and ruin your night."
Watch Marlon Vera's full comments on Submission Radio on YouTube:
Aljamain Sterling names Marlon Vera as the front runner for a title shot
Aljamain Sterling's upcoming fight with former two-time bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw hasn't stopped him from looking beyond it for his next challenger.
After dispelling doubts from critics and beating Petr Yan a second time, 'Aljo' is looking to make the bantamweight division his own. There is no shortage of contenders as the division is stacked with very skilled and capable fighters.
Speaking on ESPN MMA's UFC Live show, the champion named potential challengers for the title:
"But I think for me, it comes down to the best matchup, the best performances, and I think right now 'Chito's definitely the front runner. After I get past T.J., because I don't want to look past him, I get the job done. I think whoever has the best performance, it might be a 'Sugar' show, it might be a 'Chito' show."
'Funk Master' named 'Chito' and fan favorite Sean O'Malley as possible opponents. However, Vera's impressive win against former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz at UFC Fight Night: Vera vs. Cruz puts him in good stead for a title shot.
Watch Aljamain Sterling's full comments on UFC Live: