Aljamain Sterling needs Brian Ortega after 145 debut win at UFC 300

LAS VEGAS – After a profitable UFC featherweight debut, Aljamain Sterling is able to tackle the very high of the division.

Sterling (24-4 MMA, 16-4 UFC) known as out former title challenger and long-time contender Brian Ortega after his win at Saturday’s UFC 300. Sterling defeated Calvin Kattar (23-8 MMA, 7-6 UFC) in a dominant resolution win within the preliminary portion of the occasion, and he’s able to take a step-up that can lead him to UFC gold.

“Give me the subsequent greatest man,” Sterling mentioned on the UFC 300 post-fight press convention. “I’ll take Brian Ortega respectfully. He’s a man I received to coach with one time, similar administration, there’s no dangerous blood or something like that. We’re each simply making an attempt to chase the identical factor. It’s not like he’s my most important coaching associate like Merab was. It’s a unique scenario.

“I believe I beat a man like him, and I’m plain.”

Ortega is coming off a submission win over Yair Rodriguez in February. That was his first battle again since his shoulder harm. Sterling was impressed with Ortega’s resilience within the bout, and likes the best way they’d match up.

So far as his debut win at 145 kilos, Sterling received the job finished, however wasn’t solely blissful. He believes there’s loads of room to enhance.

“This efficiency I received a bit down on myself as a result of if I would like o beat a man like Ilia, I would like to have the ability to end a man like Kattar,” Sterling mentioned. “As well-prepared as he was to defend some stuff on the bottom, I used to be a bit unhappy about it. I used to be like, ‘Man, if I can’t do sure issues to him, then how the hell am I going to do issues to a man like that?’ You recognize, if I wish to problem for a world title once more. That’s the best way I form of take a look at issues.”

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