Home is a four-letter word, but it is far from a simple idea. For Aljamain Sterling, home is listening to Hot 97, attending Uniondale High School and spending time with more than 20 siblings in Long Island, New York. With a complex family dynamic and the ups and downs that all young, Black men face in the U.S., mixed martial arts weren’t necessarily something that Sterling pursued initially. In fact, it’s something that pursued him. After failing to make the basketball team, the high school wrestling coach and a friend of his convinced him to try his hand at wrestling. It’s safe to say that it was the best decision of his life thus far. Wrestling led to mixed martial arts and eventually, the UFC.
Aljamain Sterling may have won the UFC Bantamweight Championship by less than ideal circumstances, but he has done everything and more to retain it. After beating Petr Yan by disqualification, he bounced back and beat Yan by unanimous decision one year later. From there, he stopped T.J. Dillashaw in the second round with the power of his hands. This weekend, he took on the toughest opponent of his career thus far, Henry Cejudo. Adding to the moment, he did so in his tri-state backyard at the Prudential Center of Newark, New Jersey.
“I just want to make sure I seize the opportunity and enjoy it as much as I can,” Sterling said before the fight.
Many may not like Cejudo, but his resumé is hard to question. Arriving on the UFC scene with a victory against Demetrious Johnson, Cejudo has not looked back. Since September 17, he has won and defended UFC titles in two weight classes. Not to mention, he’s an Olympic Gold Medalist in freestyle wrestling. However, an unconventional personality coupled with a sudden retirement in 2020 has left many fans with a bitter taste in their mouths. Still, Cejudo is prepared to rise to the occasion regardless of how others may feel about him.
When the doors to the cage closed, it didn’t matter what outsiders felt about Sterling or Cejudo. In the opening round, Cejudo managed to get the champion on the ground as he appeared to work his neck. However, the New York native was able to bounce back in the last minute of the round with a takedown and a shot to the upper body. In the second, Cejudo bounced back by finding his range and using his hands to keep Sterling honest. The final three rounds proved to be extremely competitive. Sterling was able to land a number of calf kicks that appeared to cause a bit of swelling while Cejudo answered with pressure and a willingness to take one in order to give one back. By the midpoint of the fifth round, sportsbooks nearly had the two fighters sitting even with Sterling holding a slight -150 lean.
At the end of five rounds, many were left wondering who would walk away with the UFC Bantamweight Championship. Ultimately, the judges were split regarding the verdict. One judge scored the match 48-47 in Cejudo’s favor while two judges scored the match 48-47 in Sterling’s favor. Now, the division will turn its attention toward a championship match featuring Sterling and Sean O’Malley.
Aljamain Sterling's got something to say!! ? #UFC288 pic.twitter.com/2NrOskSz0P
— UFC (@ufc) May 7, 2023
