Aljamain Sterling finds it humorous that Sean O’Malley is getting another shot at the championship.
The UFC has officially announced that Merab Dvalishvili will defend his bantamweight title against O’Malley—the same fighter Dvalishvili defeated to win the belt—as the main event of UFC 316 on June 7 in Newark, N.J. Their first match was quite one-sided, with Dvalishvili securing a clear unanimous decision. Consequently, the announcement has been met with lukewarm reactions from fans, especially considering O’Malley hasn`t competed since his loss to Dvalishvili last September.
O’Malley has been inactive due to hip surgery, while Dvalishvili, a close friend and teammate of Sterling, successfully defended his title for the first time by defeating the previously undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 in January. Sterling took to social media to share his thoughts on O’Malley receiving an immediate rematch.
“Honestly, the UFC will prioritize what’s best for business and their brand,” Sterling stated in response to a question on Twitter. “Would I have wanted an immediate rematch given the circumstances of our first fight? Absolutely. However, I understand the business aspect quite well, and O’Malley is an exciting fighter who has defeated several top 5 contenders. So, I believe he rightfully deserves this opportunity considering the ranked opponents he has overcome.”
Initially, Sterling’s comments seemed to defend O’Malley. However, in subsequent tweets, he clarified that he was being sarcastic about O’Malley’s in-cage accomplishments.
Sterling and O’Malley have a history themselves. O’Malley defeated Sterling via second-round TKO at UFC 292 to claim the bantamweight title. Sterling has since moved up to the featherweight division, where he holds a 1-1 record, with a victory over Calvin Kattar and a defeat against Movsar Evloev.
When June 7 arrives, Sterling is expected to be in Dvalishvili’s corner, anticipating another victory for “The Machine.” He jokingly reassured fans not to worry about O’Malley, suggesting that even with another loss to Dvalishvili, they could consider a third fight.
“You offer him a trilogy,” Sterling quipped.
