Aljamain Sterling dismisses UFC 284 return, won’t fight until mid-2023: ‘Henry Cejudo can go kick rocks’

Aljamain Sterling shut down rumors of him returning at UFC 284.

Bantamweight champion Sterling (22-3 MMA, 14-3 UFC), who retained his title against T.J. Dillashaw this past Saturday at UFC 280, has been linked to a bout with the returning Henry Cejudo for the Perth event on Feb. 12.

But Sterling assures that he won’t be competing on that card, and says his next title defense may not even come against Cejudo (16-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC).

“I’m not fighting until mid-year next year,” Sterling told MMA Junkie. “So, I don’t know what anybody is talking about. You’re gonna need to move me to get me to get back into a training camp. So, good luck with that. I earned my time off so Henry can go kick rocks. Let me ask you, are you excited to see Sterling vs. Cejudo? Are you most excited about that matchup for the next title shot at 135? Is that the biggest fight for you as a fan of the sport?”

Although Dana White suggested it, Sterling isn’t sure if Cejudo is the fight to make. Instead, he sees a fight with Sean O’Malley (16-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) as the more lucrative option. “The Suga Show” is now the No. 1 ranked bantamweight after edging out Petr Yan on the same night Sterling defeated Dillashaw.

“I want the biggest fight because I get pay-per-view points,” Sterling said. “The moment I lose the belt, I don’t get pay-per-view points. So I want the biggest fight, and if it’s Cejudo, I gladly oblige. But, I don’t think it’s him. I really don’t. I even feel like people would be more excited to see me fight ‘Chito’ (Vera) over Cejudo.”

He continued, “It seems like as a whole Sean just draws better than Cejudo. He hasn’t fought in almost three years. I’m only pointing out the negatives. Outside of his credentials, for a die-hard, I’d be excited about that fight. But other than that, in terms of financial, I want the biggest fight which is typically the fight the fans want to see the most. I feel it’s the Sean O’Malley fight, but again, if I’m wrong, I’m wrong.”

Gallery Aljamain Sterling def. T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 280: Best photos List Twitter reacts to Aljamain Sterling’s TKO win, T.J. Dillashaw’s shoulder injury at UFC 280