Aljamin Sterling will be an interested observer for this weekend's UFC 299 centerpiece in Miami, Florida.
Late on Saturday night, the UFC's ruling 135-pound champ Sean O'Malley will look for to avenge his sole profession defeat when he rematches Marlon ‘Chito' Vera, this time with O'Malley gold belt on the line.
Sterling, the male from whom O'Malley declared the title by means of 2nd round TKO last August and now a member of the UFC's featherweight fold, will be keeping a careful eye over procedures in the Sunshine State– not least due to the fact that his good friend and training partner Merab Dvalishvili remains in line to deal with the winner following his choice win versus Henry Cejudo last month.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, as kept in mind by MMA Mania, Sterling stated that he has actually heard whispers that one of the primary eventers' battle camps hasn't rather gone as prepared.
“The only thing I'm worried about is I heard, I'm hearing through the grapevine that he didn't actually have a fantastic camp, from a great deal of guys that trained with Chito,” Sterling stated of Vera, before including that he isn't rather sure of the accuracy of these claims. “I do not understand how real that is. With that stated, I'm leaning towards O'Malley to get it done.”
Obviously, this declaration can be translated in a variety of various methods and stays speculation at this moment– especially considered that no word to support the claim appears to have actually removed into the media. That stated, it's a well-worn trope to state that essentially every fighters enters a UFC bout struggling with some sort of injury ailment, some even worse than others.
According to Sterling, he is curious to see how– if at all– any obstacles experienced by Vera throughout his preparation may manifest in the champion rounds.
“I do question if that's going to be the distinction, in the later rounds,” he stated. “Will O'Malley begin to reduce which's where Chito starts with the products? ‘Cause early on, O'Malley's hazardous. The knees, the footwork, the lateral footwork. Attempt capturing a chicken that's moving all over the location. That's O'Malley. Wish to take him down? Best of luck. Even if he does not snipe you, you need to be cognisant of that, that's what he's searching for.”
Summing it up, Sterling stated that for as long as O'Malley can stepping on the gas pedal he need to have the ascendancy. That is much easier stated than done versus a fighter of Vera's experience.
“If [O'Malley] does not burn out, he beats a great deal of guys,” Sterling specified. “But it's the length of time can he do that in a 25 minute battle?”
