Gallery Aljamain Sterling def. Jimmie Rivera at UFC on ESPN 1: Best photos view 10 images

PHOENIX – If you watched Sunday’s UFC on ESPN 1 grudge match between Aljamain Sterling and Jimmie Rivera, you already know that Sterling wants a rematch with Marlon Moraes.

Sterling (17-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC), after all, made that much clear while still in the octagon, minutes after taking a unanimous decision over Rivera (22-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC).

“I 100 percent think (Moraes) got lucky in that fight against me,” Sterling said, before blaming his own overconfidence for the setback. “He put me to sleep and I would like to return the favor for sure.”

Sterling was on a two-fight winning streak when he met Moraes in December 2017, at UFC Fight Night 123. The bantamweight bout had gone on for a little more than a minute when Moraes found the thunderous knee that dispatched Sterling and earned him a “Performance of the Night” bonus.



Now, 14 months and three wins later, Sterling believes the quick loss to Moraes was “as fluky as it gets.” And after reiterating his desire for a do-over backstage, he elaborated on why things would be different this time around.

“I think I respect his game a lot more,” Sterling told reporters, including MMAjunkie, backstage at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix. “I think that fight would have shaped up to be a really, really competitive fight – I’m not saying the outcome could have been different. I’m not saying I would have won. But it would have been a much different fight than ending like that, about a minute into the first round. Honestly, that was, it was really (expletive). And I didn’t respect the guy. And this game is super humbling.

“It’s the highest highs and the lowest lows, and that was probably the lowest moments of my career. But I kept in perspective. It was my mistake. It wasn’t really what he did, it was what I did. Like I said, I just know that fight would have been a much better fight for the fans and that’s all I want. I just want an opportunity to actually put on a show for the fans.”

Sterling’s request is neither surprising nor necessarily unreasonable, but jury’s still out on how feasible it is. After all, Moraes has also kept on winning since his meeting with Sterling and now, after avenging his only octagon loss with a submission win over Raphael Assuncao, he’s made it clear that he believes a shot at T.J. Dillashaw’s belt is next.

We’ll see what happens there, considering champ Dillashaw’s next moves are a bit unclear following a failed dual-championship bid. But the good news is that Sterling has a back-up plan in case Moraes isn’t available or willing to give him a second chance.

“You’ve got Cody Garbrandt, he’s fighting Pedro Munhoz,” Sterling said. “That’s another mother(expletive) who’s been talking a hell of a lot of (expletive). I lost to (Bryan) Caraway, and there’s nothing worse than a man who’s riding high on his horse and kicking a man when he’s down.

“That was the first loss of my career and he made sure to stick the stake in my heart and keep kicking that (expletive) in, so I’m glad karma came back and humbled him twice over. So if he comes out with the win, it’d be nice to do it for a third time.”

Regardless of who’s standing against him in his next fight, though, Sterling knows this: A win there, meaning his fourth in a row, should be enough to grant him a shot at the UFC’s bantamweight title.

“If I win another one, I think I’m knocking on the door and kicking that (expletive) over and then some,” Sterling said. “Burning the (expletive) house down. (Expletive). What the hell else do I have to do to get a goddamn title shot? I put the work in, man. I’m working with, I believe, the best team in this entire game.

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