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Fans reacted to former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling weighing in at 171 pounds for an upcoming grappling match.
On Thursday, July 25, Sterling will temporarily step away from MMA and test himself in a grappling match at Karate Combat 48. The 34-year-old's opponent in Nashville, Tennessee will be Jay Jay Wilson, a former Bellator standout who joined the Professional Fighters League (PFL) when the promotions merged.
Earlier today, the Karate Combat 48 weigh-ins took place, with Sterling stepping on the scale at 171 pounds. Once the footage was posted on Instagram, fans took to the comment section and shared their reactions to the former bantamweight champion technically making the welterweight limit:
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"See the difference in mood when fighters fight at or closer to their natural weight, you love to see it"
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"How tf did he EVER make 135?"
"Am I lookin at the next welter weight champ?"
"Welterweight Aljo?"
Aljamain Sterling has competed in four grappling matches over the last year. The 34-year-old's previous results include a unanimous decision win against Mike Grundy at Polaris 25, a majority decision loss against Kevin Dantzler at Fury Pro Grappling 8 and a split decision win against Chase Hooper at ADXC 2.
Watch Aljamain Sterling's Karate Combat 48 weigh in below:
What's next for Aljamain Sterling under the UFC banner?
On April 13, Aljamain Sterling officially moved from the UFC bantamweight division to featherweight. The former world champion's first bout was a success, as he defeated Calvin Kattar by unanimous decision at UFC 300.
Later this year, 'Funk Master' will return to action at UFC 307, which goes down on October 5 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The number eight-ranked featherweight looks to take another step toward a title shot against number five-ranked Movsar Evloev.
It'll be easier said than done for Sterling, as Evloev has showcased his top-tier grappling skills throughout his UFC tenure. The 30-year-old Russian has established an 8-0 promotional record, 18-0 as a professional fighter, including a unanimous decision win against Arnold Allen last time out.
At UFC 307, Sterling and Evloev have an opportunity to establish a strong presence in their division. Only time will tell which 145-pound grappler emerges victorious in Utah.
