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Aljamain Sterling Names 'Aspect' Of Top Featherweights He Feels He'll 'Exploit' After Watching Brian Ortega vs. Yair Rodríguez

Originally posted on MMA News | By Curtis Calhoun | Last updated 2/26/24

Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling is more confident, not less, in his featherweight chances after watching one of the division's biggest fights.

Brian Ortega defeated Yair Rodríguez in the UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Royval 2 co-main event last weekend in Mexico City. Ortega returned after a lengthy hiatus stemming from a shoulder injury he suffered in his first fight with Rodríguez in 2022.

Sterling, who will make his featherweight move against Calvin Kattar at UFC 300, could be in the featherweight title mix with a win. He opted to make the full-time move to 145lbs after a loss to Sean O'Malley at UFC 292.

After watching Ortega vs. Rodríguez, Sterling feels he'll fit right in with the other top featherweights.

Aljamain Sterling Exudes Confidence After Watching Ortega vs. Rodríguez

In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Sterling gave his breakdown of the fight.

“It’s funny because I never looked at these guys as opponents,” Sterling said. “I definitely look at the wrestling aspect. I could exploit that. They’re both tough. They’re durable. You can hit them, but they’re not going to go down.

“You’ve got to be smart. You’ve got to mix it up. Even if you get a takedown, they’re going to be looking to get back up – Ortega throwing up submissions off of his back, Yair throwing up submissions and punches off of his back.”

Sterling could potentially be Ortega's next opponent if he wins at UFC 300. But Kattar, who has earned wins over the likes of Giga Chikadze and Dan Ige during his UFC career, is never an easy out.

Sterling has the opportunity to prove his confidence is warranted when he faces Kattar at UFC 300. A matchup with Ortega or Rodríguez could be next for the former champion.

This article first appeared on MMA News and was syndicated with permission.

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