Aljamain
Sterling’s next banamweight title defense may be delayed due to
an injury that has plagued him for months.
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Sterling revealed on his Weekly Scraps
podcast that a partially torn bicep will make it difficult to
make a proposed bout against the returning Henry
Cejudo happen in March. The fight has not been officially
confirmed by the promotion, but pay-per-view events are scheduled
for March 4 in Las Vegas (UFC 285) and March 18 in London (UFC
286), and the pairing has long been rumored to be in the works.
“You guys are probably wondering if we’re going to fight or not,”
Sterling said. “The fight is supposed to be myself and Henry
Cejudo. I think that’s all said and done. It’s whether or not I
can compete with this torn bicep again. Going through another
training camp with a torn bicep, against a guy who is stronger in
the wrestling department, who will use his wrestling more with
inside leg trips, double legs, high crotches, and trying to run the
pipe into these lifts. … I’m going to need this bicep to compete at
100 percent.
“And I don’t take Henry
Cejudo lightly. Even though I laid out all the ways that I
could win and do that for 25 minutes, I have to get in shape, and
it’s hard to get in shape when I have this thing compromise me the
entire time. Yes, I can run. Yes, I can do sprints. Those are all
cool, but I need to make sure I have the grappling endurance to go
25 minutes with a guy like Henry. He’s smaller, so his conditioning
is going to be much better, because he’s not going to be cutting as
much weight as he’s been cutting. So I’m already compromised going
in. … Is it realistic for me to fight in March? I don’t really
think it is.”
Sterling is coming off a second-round TKO of T.J.
Dillashaw in a bantamweight title bout at UFC 280 this past
October. That defense was slightly controversial because Dillashaw
entered the contest with a shoulder injury that hindered his
ability to compete in the Octagon. Sterling would prefer to avoid a
similar situation for himself against Cejudo. Previously,
neck surgery and the recovery process from that delayed
Sterling’s rematch against Petr Yan for
months.
The Serra-Longo Fight Team representative revealed additional
details of how the injury has affected him via Twitter.
“I fough [two times} and did two training camps with a partially
torn bicep tendon, to keep the division moving for the fans and the
UFC,” he wrote. “Now it’s time to properly address it. I’ve stated
this before and after the last fight. When is it fair for athletes
to look after their body?”
I fought 2x and did 2 training camps with
this partially torn bicep tendon, to keep moving the division for
the fans and the UFC.Now it’s time to properly address it. I’ve stated this before AND
after the last fight. When is it fair for athletes to look after
their body? https://t.co/WA5S7hZVrW— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA)
January 10, 2023
If Sterling is going to be sidelined for the foreseeable future,
Sean O’Malley announced that he would willing to step up and face
Cejudo. O’Malley previously stated that he
expected to get the next bantamweight title shot after Sterling
and Cejudo fought. Now that timeline could be accelarated.
Is AljoComain fighting Henry or not I’m
confused ? He Said his bicep is torn. If that’s the case let me
beat up Henry— Sean O’Malley (@SugaSeanMMA)
January 10, 2023