![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Dana-White-and-Aljamain-Sterling.jpg?width=600)
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Dana White and Aljamain Sterling | Credits: Imago
![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Dana-White-and-Aljamain-Sterling.jpg?width=600)
via Imago
Dana White and Aljamain Sterling | Credits: Imago
Aljamain Sterling‘s two-year-long reign as the undisputed 135-pound champion came to an unceremonious end when Sean O’Malley slept him at UFC 292. However, recent revelations show that ‘Funk Master’ wasn’t quite in the right shape to fight ‘Suga’ that night. Rather, it was the UFC who went all in trying to convince Sterling to take the fight, which has rubbed fans the wrong way.
Aljamain Sterling, following his win over Henry Cejudo at UFC 288, refrained from putting his title up for grabs in a quick turnaround at UFC 292 against Sean O’Malley. He was pretty open about his issues with the UFC, pointing out that his recovery time doesn’t seem to be a concern for the matchmakers, especially Dana White. The UFC CEO would also take shots at the former champion for his hesitance in the fight against ‘Suga’. But in the end, the boss prevailed and Sterling took that fight.
As it turns out, Aljamain Sterling was coerced into taking this fight against Sean O’Malley. A compiled footage from the UFC’s ongoing series on Roku, Fight Inc: Inside the UFC, Aljamain Sterling revealed that he was dealing with some serious injury issues. “I still have injuries that I’m still nursing to this day,” said ‘Funk Master’. Meanwhile, the fact that Sterling was showing signs of uncertainty would make Dana White upset. He would state, “I announce a fight, and then the first thing Aljo says, ‘If my body holds up’… you’re either in the fight or not in the fight.”
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Behind the scenes footage shows Hunter Campbell convincing Aljamain Sterling not to pull out of the Sean O’Malley fight
Dana White was not happy with Aljamain’s hesitance to take the fight 😬#UFC #MMA
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 8, 2024
The video clips of Aljamain Sterling being convinced by Hunter Campbell can also be seen, and in a podcast before the fight, a hesitant ‘Aljo’ would say, “I’m gonna fight, but it’s literally against my will.” Guess what? This revelation seems to have triggered the fans, especially Dana White’s business tactics on Sterling.
Fans sound off on Dana White and Co. for ‘manipulating’ Aljamain Sterling
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The fans were having none of what they witnessed in the footage. They believe that Aljamain Sterling doesn’t deserve this kind of treatment, and claimed that he was indeed exploited and fed to Sean O’Malley at UFC 292. While one fan stated, “They did aljo so dirty,” the other said, “Aljo was manipulated, damn.” However, the fans believe that Sterling’s friend, teammate, and training partner, Merab Dvalishvili, will ensure he gets justice. “Merab will avenge him.”
![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1390582134.jpg?width=150&blur=15)
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JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – APRIL 09: Aljamain Sterling reacts after his UFC bantamweight championship fight against Petr Yan of Russia during the UFC 273 event at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on April 09, 2022 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)
The fact that Aljamain Sterling was forced to defend his title at UFC 292 has convinced some fans that UFC fights are indeed put up hastily. “They wanted a compromised Aljo coming off a war to fight cuck O’Malley,the sport is rigged.” While Sterling was having the chat about the fight with Hunter Campbell, his manager also sat right beside him but appeared to be quiet, which triggered fans even more. “The manager needs to be fired. How do you let Hunter Campbell dictate the conversation.”
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Some fans are also starting to believe that the hesitance, in the beginning, might have cost Aljamain Sterling his rematch against Sean O’Malley. “Is that why he never got a rematch? Never got an interview in the octagon?” Meanwhile, some fans were surprised to see the UFC release such footage. “Why would they release this lol, just makes the ufc look bad.”
Following that loss to Sean O’Malley, Aljamain Sterling decided to move up, and in his first featherweight fight, he dominated Calvin Kattar, showcasing that he could have finished ‘Suga’ should he have been a hundred percent. What do you make of this revelation? Drop your comments below.