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Aljamain Sterling is one of the most polarizing champions in the UFC. He is Serra-Longo Fight Team's latest champion. Not since Chris Weidman has the team had a UFC champion. Unfortunately, 'Funk Master' hasn't had the smoothest title reign. From the nature of his title win to everything else that followed, it's been chaotic.
Curiously, the Jamaican-born champion has had instances of both fortune and misfortune. They've led to him having a troubled run as the bantamweight division's titleholder. At the moment, he's scheduled to face either Henry Cejudo or Sean O'Malley. But, given the UFC's plans, 'Triple C' seems to be his next foe.
Whether his next bout transpires similarly to his last few remains to be seen. Every foe he's faced has been handicapped in some form. It's led to both fortunate wins and unfortunate reactions to those wins. This list details the five reasons why Aljamain Sterling is both the luckiest and unluckiest UFC champion.
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#5. Lucky: Aljamain Sterling fought Petr Yan while the latter had no corner
Prior to UFC 273, much was said about Petr Yan being a nightmare-matchup for Aljamain Sterling. The narrative had a genuine foundation due to 'No Mercy's' domination over 'Funk Master' in their initial bout. At UFC 259, the former champion outstruck and outwrestled his rival.
Thus, most people believed that their rematch would be a repeat of their first outing. However, just before their rematch took place, Yan was dealt a heavy blow. His coaches and cornermen were unable to make the trip to Florida due to the diplomatic issues that arose from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Thus, without much time to reorganize himself, 'No Mercy' faced 'Funk Master' without his primary support base and strategists to help enforce his game plan. This enabled Sterling to fight his main rival with a significant advantage that other fighters would only dream of.
#4. Unlucky: Aljamain Sterling has struggled with medical issues
Aljamain Sterling is not an inactive champion, but it's likely that he wants to be more active than he is. Injuries aren't unheard of in MMA circles. They've even become an expected part of a mixed martial artist's life. However, 'Funk Master' has suffered medical setbacks since the beginning of his title reign.
Instead of rushing into a rematch with Petr Yan after capturing UFC gold via disqualification, the Jamaican-born champion elected to have surgery to treat a long-term neck injury. It left him sidelined for an entire year before his eventual return at UFC 273.
While the rematch eventually took place and Sterling emerged victorious, a similar narrative has arisen in recent weeks. The UFC had initially scheduled a matchup between the reigning bantamweight kingpin and former titleholder Henry Cejudo for March. Unfortunately, a torn bicep tendon has pushed the date back.
#3. Lucky: He fought a one-armed T.J. Dillashaw
Before UFC 280, T.J. Dillashaw was expected to be Aljamain Sterling's toughest test to date. Instead, the former Team Alpha Male standout was anything but. He was a shell of his former self due to a severe shoulder injury that completely neutered his offensive striking and defensive wrestling.
The former champion had reportedly dislocated his shoulder as many as 20 times during training, which rendered him a one-armed foe come fight night. By the time the two crossed swords, Dillashaw had absolutely nothing to offer his opponent. Sterling dominated a man who many predicted would be difficult to overcome.
It was a stroke of fortune that earned him a third-round TKO win against a former titleholder. With only one functional arm, the former TAM member couldn't defend any takedowns or impose his own offense. He was a sitting duck.
#2. Both: His DQ title win against Petr Yan
The manner in which Aljamain Sterling captured his first world title in the UFC was simultaneously fortunate and unfortunate. At UFC 259, 'Funk Master' was on the losing end of his bout with the Russian boxer. While the first round was competitive, the rest of the fight was lopsided.
Sterling was on the receiving end of a knockdown and conceded several takedowns. Towards the end of the bout, he was so exhausted that he could barely muster up any resistance. Thus, it was fortunate that 'No Mercy' made the mistake of landing an illegal knee, awarding him a title he had no prior hope of winning.
However, the nature of his win was also unlucky. The nature of his win was discounted by many who mocked him for allegedly faking the severity of the illegal knee. Not only was Sterling's integrity questioned, but fans soured on him and he's been on the receiving end of their vitriol since, no matter what he does.
He's become one of the most hated fighters on the roster and is mercilessly booed by a fanbase that still refuses to accept him as a champion.
#1. Lucky: Merab Dvalishvili knocks down contenders
Aljamain Sterling and teammate Merab Dvalishvili have a stranglehold on the bantamweight division. 'The Machine' is a close friend of the reigning 135 lbs kingpin. Thus, he has expressed his complete lack of desire to face him for the title. Instead, the Georgian standout is content to simply keep winning.
What 'Funk Master' has found in 'The Machine' is a barrier that will help him thin out the herd of prospective title contenders. Dvalishvili will continue to turn away challengers, and only those who manage to defeat him will challenge Sterling for his divisional throne.
José Aldo, who many believed would be an extremely difficult matchup for Aljamain Sterling, was beaten by 'The Machine'. This renders 'Funk Master's' title reign easier than it would otherwise be due to his teammate's unwillingness to face him.
