TMZSports.com
UFC bantamweight champ Aljamain Sterling wants into the unique champ-champ club … informing us he prepares to combat Henry Cejudo in May, and after that wants to increase a weight class to combat champ Alex Volkanovski!
First things initially, 33-year-old Aljo, the #7 ranked UFC pound-for-pound fighter, has 36-year-old Triple C in his sights.
“We’re slated for May 6, that’s what we’re thinking right now,” Sterling informed Babcock on the “TMZ Sports” television program (airs nighttime on FS1), in spite of confessing he likely will not be absolutely healthy after tearing his bicep in 2015.
But, Aljamain states if he chooses to combat, there are no reasons.
“If I make the decision to sign on the dotted line, I’m signing on the dotted line and we’re gonna fight no matter what it is at the time. I don’t give a s**t about that. Henry has some stuff he’s dealing with. I have some stuff I’m dealing with. All fighters have stuff they’re dealing with. It’s just whose the better man that night.”
After the Sterling-Cejudo battle, presuming Aljo’s triumphant, that’s when things might actually get intriguing … due to the fact that he thinks he’ll have made a chance to go up a weight class, and battle
“I fought a lot of the best guys,” Aljo states, making his case for a title chance at featherweight. He continued … “How much do I have to do to say ‘Ok, this guy finally deserves an opportunity to go up and see what he can do at 145.’ I’m getting older. I’m on an 8-fight win streak right now and I want to test myself and take the opportunity.”
Of course, Volkanovski — the featherweight champ (145 pounds.) — lost an extremely close battle to light-weight champ (155 pounds.) Islam Makhachev at UFC 284 … in his quote to sign up with the double champ club.
As for how a battle with Volk would look … Aljamain Tweeted in 2015, stating he thought he might remove and send Alex, and while it’s a 7-month-old message, his viewpoint hasn’t altered all that much.
“There’s a couple of factors. That was at 155. So he had a little more weight. Maybe not as depleted as he would be at [145]. I would be coming up to 45, not being as depleted as much as I am at 35.”
And, that’s why Sterling likes his possibilities.
FYI, just 4 fighters in the UFC’s history have actually ever held 2 belts all at once: Conor Mcgregor, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Cejudo.
TMZSports.com
We likewise spoke with Aljo about his side hustle … making music. Sterling simply launched a track entitled “Go Dumb”, including his bro Troy, who raps under the name Troy Grindz.
“This is something I always wanted to do, my brother’s been the musician of the family, he’s always been very, very good lyrically,” Sterling states … however in a competitive market, his brother’s had problem getting traction.
Enter Troy’s popular bro.
“It’s been hard for him to promote himself, but it’s something I always wanted to do, but fighting kind of called my name first. I think I was a better fighter than I was a rapper. I always wanted to make a song with him, so this was a cool opportunity now that I had some downtime,” Aljo states.
We asked Aljamain if this was a one-time thing, or if he might make more music.
“I’m looking forward to doing a second song with him as well ’cause I got something else in the chamber that I think will be some heat, as well!”