Aljamain Sterling finds it amusing 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 at UFC 316 on June 7 in Newark, N.J. Their first match was not particularly close, with Dvalishvili winning by a clear unanimous decision. This has led to a lukewarm reaction from fans, especially since O’Malley hasn`t competed since his loss to Dvalishvili last September.
O’Malley has been inactive due to hip surgery, while Dvalishvili, Sterling’s close friend and training partner, successfully defended his title for the first time by defeating the previously undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 in January. Sterling used social media to share his thoughts on O’Malley receiving an immediate rematch.
“Honestly, the UFC will prioritize what’s best for the business and their brand,” Sterling posted 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 after defeating those highly ranked opponents.”
Initially, it seemed Sterling was defending O’Malley, but in subsequent tweets, he clarified that he was being sarcastic when referring to O’Malley’s in-cage achievements.
Sterling and O’Malley have a history, with O’Malley defeating Sterling via second-round TKO to become the bantamweight champion at UFC 292. Sterling has since moved up to the featherweight division, where he has a record of 1-1, with a victory over Calvin Kattar and a defeat against Movsar Evloev.
When June 7 arrives, Sterling will almost certainly be in Dvalishvili’s corner to witness what he anticipates will be another victory for “The Machine.” And for fans concerned about O’Malley, Sterling jokingly suggested that even with another loss to Dvalishvili, they could have a third fight.
“You offer him a trilogy.”
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