Tag: Aljamain Sterling

Callout Collection: Who UFC 245 winners want next – and how likely they’ll get them

Petr Yan and Marlon Moraes were among those with specific names in mind for their next fight after UFC 245.

Earning wins in the UFC is certainly no easy task, but what comes next is often even more important: the post-fight callout.

So after Saturday’s UFC 245 event in Las Vegas, who took advantage of their time on the mic? See below for this week’s Callout Collection – and just how realistic each one is.

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Petr Yan

Wants to fight: [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag]

Henry Cejudo

The callout: “I want next fight (Henry) Cejudo – title shot. Where (are you), ‘Triple Clown’? Where?”

The reality: [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] (14-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) may not be the most well-known name in the bantamweight division, but he might just be the most dangerous. Yan looked fantastic in a methodical destruction of UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber, patiently picking him apart with his crisp punches and slick movement until a perfectly placed high kick sent “The California Kid” crashing to the canvas 43 seconds into the third round. Afterward, Yan even used his mic time to call out UFC double champ Henry Cejudo.

“Triple C” has made it clear he wants to defend his bantamweight on his return from injury, shooting for March or April, turning his attention to flyweight at a later date. Aljamain Sterling owns a four-fight winning streak of his own and is 6-1 in his last seven fights, but with “The Funkmaster” on the sidelines since June, Yan may have grabbed the momentum needed to score a title shot.

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Marlon Moraes

Wants to fight: [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag]

Aljamain Sterling

The callout: “I would like to fight Dominick Cruz or Sterling. I don’t like Sterling at all, and I would love to take his chance to ever fight for the title, you know? That’s it. That’s the two names I have on my mind right now.”

The reality: OK, listen – so [autotag]Marlon Moraes[/autotag] (23-6-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) technically said he would be happy to fight Aljamain Sterling or [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag], but let’s be clear: When you say you want to make sure you beat someone so that they never have a chance to fight for the title, that’s going to turn some heads. That’s a professional and personal challenge.

Moraes can’t fight for the title right now. He just lost to current champ Henry Cejudo this past summer. Sterling has been battling through injuries while waiting for this shot at the belt, but after Saturday’s event, it seems he may be behind both Petr Yan and Jose Aldo. So what does that mean for Sterling? Well, it means he probably should go ahead and take on Moraes in a battle that has long been brewing beneath the surface.

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Aljamain Sterling: Why would ex-UFC champs Jose Aldo, Frankie Edgar would move down in weight now?

Aljamain Sterling is intrigued by the decisions of two new additions to the UFC’s bantamweight division.

[autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] is intrigued by the decisions of two new additions to the UFC’s bantamweight division.

Speaking on the “UFC Unfiltered” podcast, top bantamweight contender Sterling (18-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC), who’s currently recovering from a wrist injury, said he’s not quite sure why former UFC champions and likely future UFC Hall of Famers [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] and [autotag]Frankie Edgar[/autotag] are making the move down to 135 pounds at this point in their careers.

Aldo is scheduled to take on Marlon Moraes at UFC 245 on Dec. 14, and Edgar meets Cory Sandhagen at UFC Raleigh on Jan. 25. Another recent addition to the division is Urijah Faber, who took out Ricky Simon in his comeback and will now take on Petr Yan at UFC 245.

Should any of the three emerge victorious, they could very well be next in line for a title shot against current champion Henry Cejudo. But Sterling hopes that won’t be the case.

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“Two belts in two different weight classes would be historic, but they’re old in fight years, they’re older in age, and they’re fighting guys who are almost a decade younger than them – so it’s going to be very interesting to see how they do,” Sterling said. “I’m not wishing them any type of ill will, but at the same time, I just wish they hug each other for 15 minutes and have boring fights.

“I don’t really understand or can make much sense out of it. I’m like, ‘You guys established yourselves as (1)45-ers – to come down at that age, that late in your career, it doesn’t make a ton of sense to me.’ It’s the last Hail Mary. It’s the last hurrah for another title shot and one more chance for them to become a champion again in another weight class.”

Sterling, who was scheduled to welcome Edgar to the bantamweight division before being forced out due to injury, is enjoying his best career run. He has won his past four fights, including victories over Jimmie Rivera and Pedro Munhoz. He thinks an established bantamweight like himself should be getting the next crack at the title.

“I hope all the guys coming down in weight class have an egg of a fight, and leave us real bantamweights who’ve been here, putting in the work, to get a shot,” Sterling said.

“I hope they have boring fights so our last fights stick out the most. All the old guys coming down – Faber, Edgar, Aldo – I hope they just get tired and just hug each other.”

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