After 23 UFC fights, Aljamain Sterling holds an 18-5 record, the third-best winning percentage behind only Jon Jones (22-1) and Donald Cerrone (19-4). The post argues that Sterling is an outstanding fighter whose accomplishments, including championship reigns and elite wins at bantamweight and featherweight, deserve greater recognition. It highlights his split decision victories over Petr Yan and Henry Cejudo as signature wins and suggests that defeating Diego Lopes or Movsar Evloev could elevate his legacy. The author contends Sterling's career achievements compare favorably to past legends and that he is one victory away from great status, two from absolute legend.
Aljamain Sterling's UFC career is drawing fresh attention after an analysis of win percentages across the promotion's history placed him in historically elite company through his first 23 appearances.
Sterling's 18-5 record across 23 UFC bouts gives him the third-best winning percentage among fighters with a comparable number of outings in the organization, trailing only Jon Jones and Donald Cerrone. Jones, now 38, carries a remarkable 28-1 promotional record and is widely regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time. The six-foot-four heavyweight, who boasts an 84-inch reach and lands significant strikes at a rate of 4.38 per minute with 58 percent accuracy, sets a nearly unreachable standard. Cerrone, 43, went 19-4 through his first 23 UFC fights on the way to a final promotional record of 36-17, making him one of the busiest and most durable fighters the organization has ever seen.
Sterling's place in that conversation rests on a body of work that includes championship reigns at bantamweight and featherweight, along with split decision wins over Petr Yan and Henry Cejudo. Cejudo, the self-styled "Triple C," is a 39-year-old Olympic gold medalist who currently sits ranked ninth at bantamweight and has shown consistent takedown pressure throughout his career at 1.84 attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Sterling's winning percentage through 23 UFC fights ranks third all-time in the promotion, a figure that reframes how his career is evaluated
- His championship runs at two weight classes give his record additional weight beyond raw win totals
- Wins over Diego Lopes or Movsar Evloev, according to the analysis, could push his legacy into a higher tier
- The comparison to Jones and Cerrone invites a broader conversation about how bantamweight and featherweight accomplishments are measured against those from more prominent divisions
