Aljamain Sterling recently took to Twitter to express his disapproval of the mixed martial arts fandom’s fickle attitude towards Kamaru Usman, the former 170-pound champion. He was reacting to a tweet that pointed out how Usman’s fighting style was once poorly regarded, but fans now look back on his title reign with fondness and claim to miss it since Leon Edwards became the champion.
Sterling called out the frustrating aspect of the sport, stating that people always have something to say, and it is both the good and annoying part of MMA. It is worth noting that the collective opinion of Usman as a fighter changed after he started knocking out his opponents. Previously known for his wrestling-heavy style, Usman developed his jab and right cross under coach Trevor Wittman, which led to his impressive wins against Colby Covington, Gilbert Burns, and Jorge Masvidal.
Aljamain Sterling’s own title reign as the bantamweight champion was heavily criticized due to his grappling-focused fighting style. Despite his success during this time, he received little credit and became one of the most disliked fighters in the UFC. Sterling has also had conflicts with UFC president Dana White, further fueling his frustrations and feelings of being underappreciated.
In response to this, Sterling plans to move up to the featherweight division after losing his bantamweight title to Sean O’Malley at UFC 292. Though initially campaigning for a rematch, he is now committed to the 145-pound weight class. At UFC 300, Sterling will make his featherweight debut against the powerhouse Calvin Kattar. This exciting matchup could propel him into the top five if he secures an impressive victory.
