Aljamain Sterling couldn't say no to Brian Ortega, but UFC Shanghai wasn't on 'bingo card'

USA Today

a day ago

LAS VEGAS – Aljamain Sterling is embracing that beggars can't be choosers, at least not in the UFC.
The UFC obliged Sterling's request for a Brian Ortega fight, which is a matchup he loves. The location, however, threw him for a little bit of a loop.
"I wanted a fight," Sterling recently told MMA Junkie Radio at the UFC X fan experience. "I did call out Ortega. That was the first name I mentioned when I was coming up to featherweight. But China was not on my bingo card for fight location. But I did beg for a fight, I finally got it, so I couldn't say no. Here we are."
Sterling (24-5 MMA, 16-5 UFC) and Ortega (16-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) will serve as the Aug. 23 co-main event at Mercedes-Benz Arena. Both men will look to bounce back from late 2024 unanimous decision losses.
Ortega lost to Diego Lopes in September before Sterling lost to Movsar Evloev a little under three months later in December.
"Brian's got a very dangerous style and good grappling," Sterling said. "Obviously he's got some flashy finishes, some cool flying triangles that he goes for. He's dangerous off his back. He's good in the clinch. I think it's going to be a great fight, man. I don't know if it's going to hit the ground. I'm just going to take the fight wherever it goes. If he shoots or I shoot, I'm just looking to win in every single position, every single position I can."
A former UFC bantamweight champion and 35 years old, Sterling is focused on consistency and maintaining a sharp skillset. Though he's been to the top of the mountain, he'd like to get back there – this time with a higher view at featherweight.
"Sharpening your own tools and just being fast," Sterling said. "Your reflexes, everything, timing. Everything has to come together at the perfect storm when the fight comes. You have to make sure you peak at the right time. That's the hard thing. You can do all the motions, go through the perfect training camp, but when you get in there, sometimes things just don't click. Maybe you're overtrained. Maybe your head is not in the mental headspace to be in there. It's a dangerous sport. You need to make sure you're dialed in.
"I'd say that's the most difficult thing about this. The guys who show up time and time and time again, those are the guys I tip my hat to. Because anybody can be good on one night. But if you can be good on multiple nights for years, that's something to applaud."