After Sean O’Malley’s submission defeat to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316, Aljamain Sterling respectfully voiced his desire for a featherweight rematch with O’Malley once the latter recovers. Sterling, who was in Dvalishvili’s corner during the fight, suggested that O’Malley could succeed if he moved up to the 145-pound division instead of continuing to compete at bantamweight.
The recent UFC 316 event, headlined by the rematch between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley, sparked widespread speculation about O’Malley’s future. The main question centered on whether O’Malley would remain at 135 pounds to pursue a rare third title shot or transition to featherweight. Sterling, having moved up to featherweight himself after losing to O’Malley at UFC 292, sees valuable potential for O’Malley at 145 pounds.
Sterling analyzes O’Malley’s potential in the featherweight division
Sterling believes O’Malley has attributes that would allow him to excel at featherweight, citing his speed, reach, and athleticism. The increase in available weight might also enable O’Malley to build more strength. However, Sterling acknowledged challenges O’Malley would face due to the grappling skills of several top featherweights.
I think Sean would do really well at 145, and I’m not saying that because I would love to run it back, because that’s obvious,
Sterling told MMA Fighting.
But I think his speed, his length would translate really well. He will be able to actually lift a little bit more to get stronger. The only thing is there are some dogs at 145 that if they grab a hold of him, they already know how to grapple.
Sterling highlighted key grapplers in the featherweight division such as Movsar Evloev, himself, Chepe Mariscal, and Steve Garcia, all known for their grappling ability when taking opponents down and controlling top position. He contrasted them with fighters like Lerone Murphy, who is less reliant on grappling, and other opponents such as Bryce Mitchell and David Onama, who possess solid grappling skills.
I think there are more grapple-heavy guys that he will have to deal with like a Movsar [Evloev], or myself, a Chepe [Mariscal], Steve Garcia when he takes you down and gets in top position. Lerone Murphy is not much of a grappler, I know Bryce [Mitchell] is going down, obviously Ilia [Topuria], he’s now up at [155], but I think there’s a little bit more depth for guys that can grapple. Even Youssef [Zalal] is not a bad grappler, the David Onama guy when he gets to the top position, so it really just depends on what he wants to do.
Despite the challenges, Sterling remains optimistic about O’Malley’s ability to succeed at featherweight. He also reflected on the impact weight cutting might have on O’Malley’s performance at 135 pounds compared to competing at 145.
I do think he would have success. Would it be as much success as [he’s had] at 135? I don’t know. It’s hard to say because those guys are obviously smaller than him in terms of reach and everything, but his athletic ability and his fight IQ, I think it’s pretty good, where he would do relatively well at 145. And it just depends on the weigh cut, right? I don’t know how much that weight cut really affected him, but I know for me being super lean, it killed me. Like, even today, I woke up at 160, which is insane. I’m like ridiculously light. I’m lighter now than when I was fighting at 135.
Impact of UFC 316 fight on O’Malley’s trajectory and potential rematch
Sterling noted that watching the UFC 316 main event live and again on replay did not reveal a significant difference in O’Malley’s approach compared to his first fight with Dvalishvili at UFC 306. Sterling credits Dvalishvili’s exceptional performance as the key factor rather than any decline in O’Malley’s skills.
When a fan suggested a featherweight rematch between Sterling and O’Malley, Sterling embraced the idea but emphasized it should only happen when O’Malley is mentally prepared. Sterling expressed surprise at some public backlash but remained steady in his stance.
Let the former champ rest. But I would absolutely LOVE to show him what a healthy version of myself would do. He’s got great skills but I still know that was 50% version of myself. https://t.co/GIeqUmTGGT
—Aljamain Sterling, UFC Bantamweight Champion
Yeah [I was surprised, but] I mean, it is what it is,
Sterling said.
People are people and they’re probably all just diehard O’Malley fans, which, I mean, I get it if you want to defend your guy that you love, but I don’t think I said anything wrong or distasteful, whatsoever.
Sterling stated he is finished dwelling on the previous chapter with O’Malley. He acknowledged the competitive disadvantage he faced in their UFC 292 fight but expressed readiness for a rematch under even conditions to determine who is truly better.
He pointed to his performances in fights against Movsar Evloev and Calvin Kattar as benchmarks that could reflect how a rematch with O’Malley might unfold under better mental and physical conditions.
Sure enough, I do an ugly, very, just uncalculated strike and Sean cracked me with a beautiful right hand and that’s the game, man. And again, even for him, he shouldn’t come back unless he’s mentally ready to want to fight again, because [if] you go in there not wanting to compete, it’s going to be a bad night.
Sterling’s current featherweight record and future fight opportunities
Since moving up to featherweight, Sterling holds a 1-1 record, including a decisive victory over Calvin Kattar at UFC 300 and a narrow decision loss to Movsar Evloev at UFC 310. Despite these mixed results, Sterling remains eager for upcoming fights and open to a variety of matchups in the division.
Man, I’ve been ready since… I literally texted my guys asking for a fight since January and I knew I needed a little bit of time off to just heal up,
Sterling revealed. He explained that recurring shoulder issues following surgery have required periods of rest and rehabilitation, limiting his training consistency.
Sterling detailed how he actively pursued fights earlier in the year but passed on opportunities amid other commitments, including his growing business, Funk Harbor rum, which he self-funded and requires his attention.
I’ve got a bachelor party coming up now. I’m getting married at the end of the year. There’s a lot going on, so I’m ready to go. I was in fight camp with Merab pretty much the whole time, so I’m in shape. I could do three, [five-minute rounds] easy. I could probably even do five, fives no problem. But I’m ready. I’ve just been waiting, ready for these guys to give me a name. Obviously, I would like to fight a guy on the level of a Movsar in the sense of the rankings, like Brian Ortega, Arnold Allen, names that make sense. I’ll even go fight Lerone Murphy because, somehow, he’s now ranked ahead of me. If that’s a name that they want me to fight, I’m open to it.
The significance of a potential featherweight rematch and Sterling’s outlook
Aljamain Sterling’s call for a featherweight rematch with Sean O’Malley carries weight due to the fighters’ intertwined histories and the potential for high-level competition in a new division. Sterling’s detailed assessment underscores the strategic considerations fighters face when changing weight classes, especially regarding style matchups and physical advantages.
Should O’Malley decide to move to 145 pounds, Sterling’s prediction that “Sugar” would adapt and compete well there adds an intriguing element to the UFC featherweight landscape. Sterling’s willingness to engage in the rematch on balanced terms reflects respect for the sport’s competitiveness and his belief in demonstrating his best version inside the octagon.
Looking ahead, Sterling’s openness to fighting contenders like Brian Ortega or Arnold Allen and even Lerone Murphy shows his commitment to solidifying his position among featherweight elites. His readiness to compete as soon as the UFC provides the green light indicates his focus on maintaining momentum in his career while setting the stage for future marquee bouts.