The Bantamweight division is currently extremely competitive and packed with some of the biggest stars in the sport fighting for the weight class. The reigning champion Aljamain Sterling recently announced hiatus from the sport after holding off an injury for a while.
With so many hungry fighters eyeing the prestigious title, contenders like Sean O’Malley can’t help but wonder what is next for the division. Sugar also wondered will anybody enlight him on what is going on.
He went on asking if anybody would help him with insights and at the same time sugar expressed frustration but asked fans not to worry as he is happy training alone.
Tracing the whole fiasco back, we have to look at the T.J. Dillashaw vs Aljamain Sterling fight. Aljo was looking to prove himself against a two-time champion as the last fight against Petr was extremely controversial. Ironically, T.J. was fighting with an injury of his own and became incapable of competing very soon.
While Sterling picked up the win but many fans were understandably skeptical of his legitimacy. This time former two-division champ and Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo was set to make a comeback and put the ‘Funkmaster’s skills to the test.
This time Aljo himself pulled out from the fight citing injury issues.
With unanswered questions involving Aljamain’s time away from the Octagon, many future fights got affected. Sean O’Malley recently picked up a divisive win against Petr ‘No Mercy’ Yan and is currently looking to clear his name. ‘Sugar’ thinks a win against a time-tested opponent like Cejudo will help him get the respect of fans yet again.
Cejudo himself has been hyping up his comeback for a long while now. He enrolled in the USADA testing pool and started practice in the gym specifically to prove Aljamain’s legacy false.
With the high-stake match canceled, ‘Triple C’ himself is currently confused as to who he should fight if a title fight is out of consideration for the moment.
“It would be perfect: Me vs. Henry for the interim belt [at UFC 285], I wish they would. I texted [UFC Chief Business Officer] Hunter [Campbell], and I texted [UFC matchmaker] Sean Shelby. I said, ‘Will you at least give me an idea? Will you at least say yes or no? Is Henry vs. Aljo happening?’ They just don’t know.”
What happens next at Bantamweight?
