Coach Ray Longo has revealed that he expects Aljamain Sterling’s haters to continue criticizing him regardless of the outcome of his next fight against Henry Cejudo at UFC 288. Sterling, who won the bantamweight title in March 2021 due to an illegal knee, has faced criticism from fans for his manner of becoming champion.
Despite successfully defending his title twice, Sterling has failed to receive the credit he deserves from his detractors. Longo believes that even if Sterling dominates Cejudo, haters will still criticize the former dual champ due to his three-year layoff.
But Longo has faith in Sterling’s mindset, stating that he is not putting too much pressure on himself and is just going to enjoy the fight one step at a time. Longo believes that Cejudo is a student of the game, but his three-year layoff may give Sterling the edge.
The Underdog Champion: Sterling’s Proving Ground Against Cejudo
Cejudo is popular all over for his quite impressive six-fight winning streak, which includes victories over Dominick Cruz, T.J. Dillashaw, and Demetrious Johnson. However, Longo believes that Cejudo may be overlooking Sterling, which could be a mistake.
Ultimately, Ray expects a tough fight for Sterling, but he has the mindset and skills to come out on top. Since winning the UFC bantamweight championship, Sterling has received plenty of criticism, and his coach, Ray Longo, anticipates that criticism to persist whether he prevails or fails in his upcoming contest with Cejudo.
When Aljamain Sterling smashes Henry Cejudo at #UFC288, haters will say ‘Henry had a three-year layoff, he was rusty’ https://t.co/F7PKmKsdBM pic.twitter.com/4la6NfLRRG
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) April 28, 2023
The haters have been vocal about their opinions since Sterling became the 135-pound champ. But Aljamain Sterling is very much keeping his head down and staying super focused on his game plan. Longo talked to a radio station about Sterling’s overall mindset going into the fight, stating,
“I think Aljo’s got the mindset where he’s just gonna go in and fight. The more I get to know him, the more I appreciate him. He’s just gonna take his money, be very grateful for everything he has, and enjoy himself.”
Coach Ray Longo Warns Henry Cejudo: Don’t Underestimate Aljamain Sterling!
Despite his positive attitude, Sterling has still been doubted by many, and his coach anticipates that even if he dominates Cejudo, the haters will still find a way to discredit him. They’ll say that Cejudo was coming out of retirement after a three-year layoff and was therefore rusty. But Longo believes that this is just another obstacle that Sterling will overcome.
While Cejudo is undoubtedly a formidable opponent, Ray thinks that he may be overlooking Sterling. He sees something in Sterling that he believes he can exploit easily, and Longo thinks that could be his mistake.
Sterling seems to possess a championship mindset, and Longo expects him to be at his best for the fight. Aljo has previously faced adversity in his career, including a year-long layoff after an illegal knee caused his title win against Petr Yan.
Who will you be supporting in the clash between ‘Funkmaster’ and ‘Triple C’?
