Aljamain Sterling issued a bold post-fight statement after his victory at UFC Vegas 116, targeting both Movsar Evloev and Alexander Volkanovski. Sterling claimed he differs from other contenders with his unique striking mixology and difficult-to-defend takedowns. He emphasized his veteran experience and ability to know when to push forward and when to strategically pull back. Sterling demanded a title shot, highlighting his 12 years in the company and 23 UFC fights, with only three against unranked opponents. He called for respect as the next title contender and told everyone else to back off.
Aljamain Sterling wasted no time making his intentions clear after his victory at UFC Vegas 116 on April 26, calling out featherweight number-one contender Movsar Evloev and champion Alexander Volkanovski in a pointed post-fight statement.
Sterling, known as "Funk Master," enters the conversation at 26-5-0 and ranked fourth in the featherweight division. The 36-year-old American, who trains out of Serra-Longo Fight Team, pointed to his 12 years with the UFC and 23 appearances in the octagon as evidence he has more than earned a title shot. He argued that the overwhelming majority of those fights came against ranked competition, with only three exceptions. Sterling backs up his callout with real numbers, landing 4.45 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy while averaging 2.45 takedowns per 15 minutes — a combination he described as uniquely difficult to defend.
Standing in his way, at least in the rankings, is Evloev, the undefeated Russian out of American Top Team who carries a perfect 20-0-0 record and holds the number-one contender spot. The 32-year-old is a relentless pressure fighter, averaging 4.78 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 3.91 significant strikes landed per minute.
Above them both sits champion Volkanovski, "The Great," who defends the featherweight title with a 28-4-0 record and a pound-for-pound ranking of third in the world. The 37-year-old Australian is one of the sport's most accurate strikers, connecting on 57 percent of his significant attempts at a volume of nearly six per minute.
Why it matters
- Sterling at fourth in the rankings is essentially arguing he should leapfrog or fight Evloev for the right to face Volkanovski
- A Sterling versus Evloev matchup would pit two high-volume grapplers against each other, with Evloev holding a significant takedown-rate advantage
- Volkanovski's striking output and accuracy set a formidable benchmark for any contender looking to unseat him
- The callout adds pressure to the UFC to clarify the featherweight title picture following UFC Vegas 116
