Aljamain Sterling Targets Arnold Allen, Brian Ortega for Next UFC Appearance

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿⚔️ Aljamain Sterling is looking to fight Brian Ortega or return in March on the UK card and fight Arnold Allen.

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— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) December 14, 2024

Aljamain Sterling is aiming up the rankings despite a recent loss.

Sterling took on undefeated featherweight contender Movsar Evloev on the prelims at UFC 310 earlier this month. While “Funkmaster” dropped a unanimous decision against Evloev, the Russian arguably faced his toughest test to date.

Sterling isn’t even considering it a complete loss based on his performance. The former bantamweight champ doesn’t think he deserves to fight down the rankings after splitting his first two 145-pound appearances.

Sterling recently called out Arnold Allen, which would ideally go down at the O2 Arena for the UFC’s return to London on March 22. Sterling is otherwise eyeing former title challenger Brian Ortega within the same timeline.

“I would like to make a March return. If I do get to get a fight for March, April the latest, I would like to fight Arnold Allen or fight Brian Ortega,” Sterling told Home of Fight. “I don’t think that loss to Movsar should push me down the rankings. I almost felt like it should be treated as a ‘W’… I feel I shouldn’t have to go fight down the rankings after being 1-1 and losing to a guy that people are saying is gonna be the next champion, in a fight that a lot of people still think I won.”

Sterling moved up to 145 pounds after losing his bantamweight strap to Sean O’Malley via knockout at UFC 292 last year. Sterling scored a dominant unanimous decision win over Calvin Kattar in his featherweight debut at UFC 300 this past April before his latest loss against Evloev.