Aljamain Sterling believes he’d bring a different set of issues for Alexander Volkanovski as opposed to the Islam Makhachev fights.
Volkanovski had two clashes with the now reigning UFC Welterweight Champion. In their first encounter, “The Great” had a competitive grappling affair but fell short via unanimous decision. Volkanovski was slept by a head kick in their rematch.
Fresh off his UFC Vegas 116 win over Youseff Zalal, Sterling explained to UFC News how he’d pose a new threat that Volkanovski didn’t see in his bouts with Makhachev (via Bloody Elbow).
“When he fought Islam, Islam had his back,” Sterling said. “And you saw when I had Youssef’s back. When I fought Movsar, I had his back but he did something really smart — he held my hands and didn’t give me the opportunity to open up and strike.
“I think that’s the difference. Volkanovski, when he got his back taken by Islam in that first fight, he was the one doing damage from having his back taken.
“That’s the difference between a guy like that and a guy like me,” he continued. “It’s just a different skill set.
“I’m not disrespecting Islam. I just bring a different problem, a different set of skills.”
Sterling has been pushing to get the next crack at Volkanovski’s UFC Featherweight Championship. Given that Movsar Evloev defeated Sterling back in late 2024, he’s likely ahead on the pecking order. Evloev is coming off a majority decision win over Lerone Murphy. While Sterling has admitted he feels Evloev does deserve a title shot, he made it clear that he won’t turn down a title fight if offered.
Would you be more intrigued by Alexander Volkanovski vs. Aljamain Sterling, or do you think Movsar Evloev should get the next 145-pound title shot? Let your voice be heard by sharing your opinion in the comments below.