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#2. Former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo
Since moving down to 135 lbs, Jose Aldo has been on a quest to join the list of two-division champions. Despite a rough start at 135 lbs, he has turned things around and has hit his stride in the new weight division.
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‘Junior’ is riding a three-fight winning streak that saw him earn a unanimous decision in each bout. He seems to have figured out the weight cut and looks more comfortable in each fight. Aldo’s wins include Marlon Vera, Pedro Munhoz, and Rob Font. His power hasn’t gone away, and he has showcased the elite striking that led to him becoming an all-time great.
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It would be interesting to see how a fight between Sterling and Aldo would play out. ‘Junior’ has excellent takedown defense and is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, which would make him a difficult challenge to overcome.
#1. Former UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw
Soon after retaining the UFC bantamweight championship against Petr Yan, it became clear that T.J. Dillashaw was next in line. The former bantamweight champion was in attendance and was even shown on the broadcast during Sterling’s post-fight interview with Joe Rogan.
Dillashaw looked great when he returned from his suspension last year. He defeated a top-ranked fighter in Cory Sandhagen via split-decision to get back into the division's top. Before heading into the bout, there were questions surrounding how Dillashaw would perform, especially considering he had been inactive for two years.
With ‘Funk Master’ vs. Dillashaw seemingly all but confirmed, it’ll be interesting to see how they match up with each other. Sterling’s grappling may cause Dillashaw to fight more cautiously in the opening moments of the bout. He’s confident with his striking and could use Yan’s performance against ‘Funk Master’ in the first bout as an example.
