UFC 300 is up and underway and we have witnessed some amazing fights already. With the early prelims wrapped up, all eyes are now on the preliminary card. As such, one of the most important fights on the card happens to be Calvin Kattar vs Aljamain Sterling.
For those unaware, one of the UFC’s initial announcements for UFC 300 revealed Aljamain Sterling’s move up to featherweight. Having fought and been a great champion at bantamweight, Sterling had already accomplished everything he needed to at 135. Now, he has set his sights on the 145 lbs title and the first man to contend with him will be mainstay Calvin Kattar.
145ers go head to head in our next matchup 👊@CalvinKattar vs @FunkMasterMMA
[ #UFC300 is LIVE now on @ESPN & @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/7EYHU2U45N
— UFC (@ufc) April 14, 2024
As for Kattar, he is coming off the back of two consecutive losses, although they may not entirely be his fault. With a split decision loss to Josh Emmett, Calvin then suffered a freak knee injury against Arnold Allen. Now, he comes in after almost 18 months out. Not only that, but he finds himself immediately thrown into the fire against a hungry and determined former champion.
Aljamain Sterling outwrestles Calvin Kattar at UFC 300
For the most part, ‘The Funkmaster’ was able to shut down and smother anything that Calvin Kattar had to bring early on. With four takedowns in the very first round, Sterling was able to limit Kattar to single-digit strikes. Despite the game plan being pretty clear from the get-go, Kattar surprisingly looked like a fish out of water against Sterling.
By the end of Round 2, Sterling had managed to keep ‘The Boston Finisher’ at single-digit strikes landed and at the same time rack up more than six minutes of control time. At his constricting best and in a much more fuller frame, Aljamain showcased his wrestling and grappling prowess which served him so well at bantamweight. Dominant and impressive as he may have been, the fans did not take well to how the fight went.
Looking good in his new weight class 😤@FunkMasterMMA leaves #UFC300 with a UD victory! pic.twitter.com/YsZG0JlfKj
— UFC (@ufc) April 14, 2024
Noticeably, the crowd was very indicative of their reaction as a wave of boos could be heard throughout the fight on numerous occasions. The third round saw a powerbomb and a ground-and-pound attempt from Sterling. However, he chose to simply play it safe and lay on top of his opponent, taking the clear unanimous decision
Aljamain Sterling did not get a post-fight interview at UFC 300
Following the fight, Aljamain Sterling appeared near unscathed as he emerged having taken only 8 significant strikes from Calvin Kattar. Making his featherweight debut Sterling put on a very measured performance, smothering his opponent with his wrestling and grappling. However, despite his initial excitement to hear about the $300,000 bonus, it is highly unlikely he will be in the running for the same.
Notably, Aljamain Sterling did not even get a post-fight interview, for whatever reason. According to fans on social media, they have theorized numerous reasons as to why that was the case. Whilst the obvious one is that of his ‘boring’ performance, the TV timing could also be a potential factor. Either way, the entire ordeal must feel very disrespectful to the fighter, something that is not a new feeling for him.
Aljamain Sterling was acting all hyped up when he heard that the bonus was 300K just to fight like this today smh #UFC300 pic.twitter.com/Ds0zAjvI20
— AWUREDO (@AOUREDOO) April 14, 2024
With the main card scheduled for 10 PM ET / 7 PM PT, the UFC could have been forced to omit Sterling in order to accommodate Jiri Prochazka vs Aleksandar Rakic. Seeing that it allowed them to start the main card in time, it may have been the right decision and also saved Sterling some boos. Currently, Aljamain Sterling is yet to comment on the matter, however, it is clear that he did not put on a show like Kayla Harrison and Diego Lopes.