Aljamain Sterling Demands UFC Featherweight Title Shot in Fiery Rant

Former bantamweight champion calls for title opportunity after recent win at RAF06 event

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Following his victory at the RAF06 event, former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling launched into a fiery rant directed at the UFC, demanding a featherweight title shot. Sterling, who has competed three times at 145 pounds since moving up from bantamweight, expressed frustration at the UFC's handling of the featherweight division and claimed he has earned a title opportunity as an "OG of the game."

Why it matters

Sterling's outspoken comments highlight the challenges and politics that top fighters often face in securing coveted title shots, even after establishing themselves as elite competitors. His move up to featherweight has put him in a position to potentially challenge for another UFC championship, but he feels the promotion has not given him the proper opportunity to do so.

The details

In his post-fight interview, Sterling criticized the UFC for booking fights like the upcoming matchup between Aaron Pico and Patricio 'Pitbull' instead of giving him a title shot. He believes his resume, which includes a long reign as bantamweight champion, should earn him an immediate featherweight title fight against the current champion. Sterling has called out several potential opponents, including Jean Silva, Yair Rodriguez, and Youssef Zalal, as potential interim title fight options to cement his case for a championship opportunity.

  • Sterling won his most recent fight at the RAF06 event this past Saturday.
  • Since moving up to featherweight, Sterling has competed three times, going 2-1 with wins over Brian Ortega and Calvin Kattar, and a loss to Movsar Evloev.

The players

Aljamain Sterling

A former UFC bantamweight champion who has recently moved up to the featherweight division, where he has compiled a 2-1 record and is now demanding a title shot.

Movsar Evloev

The fighter who defeated Sterling in his lone featherweight loss since moving up from bantamweight.

Jean Silva

A potential opponent that Sterling has mentioned he would be willing to fight in an interim title bout to cement his case for a featherweight championship opportunity.

Yair Rodriguez

Another potential opponent that Sterling has expressed interest in fighting in an interim title bout.

Youssef Zalal

A third potential opponent that Sterling has mentioned he would be willing to face in an interim title fight.

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What they’re saying

“Give me my f—— shot, I deserve a shot at the title, OG vs OG, I'm smarter than all of these dumb motherf—— out there… Diego Lopes gets a f—— rematch and he goes out there and fights worse.”

— Aljamain Sterling, Former UFC Bantamweight Champion (MMAFighting)

“I've been doing this for a long time, been with the company since 2014, I've been calling my shot, defended my belt the most in the bantamweight division, tied with a couple of other greats.”

— Aljamain Sterling, Former UFC Bantamweight Champion (MMAFighting)

What’s next

Sterling has expressed a willingness to fight either Jean Silva, Yair Rodriguez, or Youssef Zalal in an interim title bout to further cement his case for a featherweight championship opportunity.

The takeaway

Aljamain Sterling's fiery rant highlights the challenges top fighters can face in securing coveted title shots, even after establishing themselves as elite competitors. His move up to featherweight has put him in position to potentially challenge for another UFC championship, but he feels the promotion has not given him the proper opportunity to do so, leading him to publicly demand a title shot as an "OG of the game."