Photos: Aljamain Sterling's "unexpected" team-up with Rafael Fiziev sparks vivid fan speculations - "What's the scoop? Is he moving to featherweight?"

A recent photo of former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling and lightweight contender Rafael Fiziev has ignited speculation among UFC fans. The image, shared by Sterling, comes amid rumors that Fiziev is considering a drop to featherweight following his hard-fought loss to Justin Gaethje.

Check out Aljamain Sterling's post below:

Aljamain Sterling (right) and Rafael Fiziev (left) posed for a picture together. [Image courtesy: @funkmasterMMA via X]

Fiziev, known for his striking prowess, hinted at a possible move to 145 pounds in a recent interview, explaining that he had an easy weight cut for his last fight and has long considered switching divisions:

“I cut weight very easily this time, and it was on short notice. I’ve thought about [featherweight] for a long time because I’m not big for [lightweight]. I want to fight with the top guys, and all of these guys in the Top 10, they’re very interesting – but man, these guys will have trouble if I come there.”

Sterling, who moved up to featherweight in 2024, playfully weighed in on the debate. He wrote on social media:

“I told his a** to stay at 155 😂 We don’t need that chaos at 145. Respectfully 🤣"

In another post, 'Funkmaster' referred to his interaction with Fiziev, writing:

"A good unexpected link up today 💪🏾"

After the former champion posted photos with the lightweight, fans quickly reacted. One fan wrote:

“What's the scoop? Is he moving to featherweight?”

Another joked:

“You try talking him out of moving down to featherweight? 😂”

Check out some of the fan reactions below:

Fans react to Aljamain Sterling's recent post. [Screenshot courtesy: X]

---

Chael Sonnen questions Rafael Fiziev’s potential move to featherweight

Rafael Fiziev, who is considering dropping to featherweight, recently hinted that he already has his next fight lined up after meeting with UFC matchmaker Hunter Campbell.

However, UFC legend Chael Sonnen has expressed doubts about Fiziev's potential move to 145 pounds. Sonnen suggested that Fiziev's reaction could be driven by disappointment over his recent loss rather than a strategic career move:

“Fiziev is talking about going down to 145lbs, first off, that’s not a great idea, the years of your career and when the whole career is done, the only thing that’s real is the money and the miles... You will shorten your career by going to 145lbs, and historically speaking you can’t find me examples of when that has worked." [Bloody Elbow]

Check out Chael Sonnen's comments below: