"Out with the old and in with the new" - Ricky Simon predicts that Aljamain Sterling won't hold on to the UFC title for too long

Ricky Simon thinks Aljamain Sterling would soon lose his title [Photo credit: MMA Junkie on YouTube, @funkmastermma on Instagram]

Up-and-coming bantamweight Ricky Simon doesn't think Aljamain Sterling is destined to hold the title for much longer.

As far as Simon is concerned, the division is so stacked that Sterling will likely lose his title sooner rather than later. Speaking about the reigning bantamweight champion during an interview with Andrew Whitelaw of Sportskeeda MMA, the 29-year-old said:

"Like we were saying, the division is stacked and he's the best right now. But I think there's gonna be a lot of movement in the division. Like I said, it's gonna be out with the old and in with the new."

Catch our exclusive interview with Ricky Simon:

Sterling, of course, is one of the most controversial champions in UFC history. 'Funk Master' received a ton of backlash when he became the first fighter to win the title via disqualification.

However, he finally silenced his critics when he earned a legitimate victory over Petr Yan at UFC 273. As things stand, it appears that a matchup with former champion T.J. Dillashaw is next for Sterling. However, nothing is set in stone for 'Funk Master' just yet.

Ricky Simon comments on Jack Shore's undefeated record

Ricky Simon will attempt to end Jack Shore's undefeated streak when they meet in the cage on Saturday at UFC Fight Night: Ortega vs. Rodriguez.

#UFCLongIsland odds for Saturday's 135lb fight

Jack Shore (-170) vs. Ricky Simon (+142) per @BodogCA

Thoughts? https://t.co/SiLjphe2pi

Simon believes that while his opponent's record may seem impressive, Shore hasn't beaten anyone of significance yet. The Washington native told Sportskeeda MMA:

"I mean, 16-0, it's hard not to be impressed, for sure. But what I will say is that his strength of schedule has been a little unimpressive and that's not his fault. He's 16-0 but if you compare who we fought, it's not very comparable."

Shore has five fights in the UFC so far. In his outings, he defeated Nohelin Hernandez, Aaron Phillips, Hunter Azure, Liudvik Sholinian, and Timur Valiev.

Meanwhile, Simon has nine UFC fights under his belt. The No.13-ranked bantamweight has faced veterans Urijah Faber and Rob Font and has beaten the likes of Merab Dvalishvili, Ray Borg, and Raphael Assuncao.