Aljamain Sterling Wants Rematch Fight vs. Sean O’Malley After KO Loss at UFC 292

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Aljamain Sterling didn’t waste much time indicating he wants an opportunity to avenge his UFC 292 loss to Sean O’Malley.

In his post-fight press conference, Sterling said a rematch is “100 percent what I would like the most” and that he believes he has earned the right for an immediate return bout.

O’Malley scored a second-round knockout to claim the bantamweight title. He floored Sterling with a right hand and proceeded to lay in a number of blows before the referee called for the bell.

Sterling carried a nine-fight winning streak into UFC 292, and he had successfully defended the bantamweight championship against T.J. Dillashaw, Henry Cejudo and Petr Yan, the last of which saw him unify the gold.

From that perspective, one could argue he shouldn’t have to work his way back up the divisional ladder.

UFC 292 was a major commercial success as well. Even if O’Malley gets more of the credit for that than Sterling, the company should have little doubt about the rematch’s drawing power.

O’Malley, for his part, might want to go in a different direction. Standing in the middle of the Octagon, he said he wants Marlon Vera in December. Vera handed him his lone professional defeat at UFC 252 in August 2020.

Especially given his popularity, the new champion won’t be lacking for options when it comes to his first defense.