Aljamain Sterling calls for featherweight title shot after UFC 116 win

Sterling wants a featherweight rubric changeable against Volkanovski aft a unanimous triumph implicit Zalal successful Las Vegas.

After astir 2 afloat slow-paced rounds, erstwhile Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling recorded a determination triumph implicit Youssef Zalal successful the UFC Vegas 116 main event.

Sterling recovered an opening with little than a infinitesimal near successful the 2nd circular and secured a 49-45, 49-45, 49-45 unanimous determination crossed 25 minutes successful the combat connected Saturday. He had respective submission attempts, including a fourth-round rear-naked choke accidental successful the closing minutes.

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The American fighter, who has a 26-5 mixed martial arts (MMA) and 18-5 UFC record, was comfy successful each areas against his erstwhile grooming partner, but his nonsubjective for the remainder of his vocation is simple: the UFC featherweight rubric presently held by Alexander Volkanovski.

“Volkanovski, you cognize I’m coming,” Sterling said aft his win, calling for a rubric shot.

Zalal, with an 18-6-1 MMA and 8-4-1 UFC record, was classy successful defeat.

“I’ve travel backmost before, and I’ll travel backmost again,” Zalal said, crediting Sterling’s efforts.

Sterling snapped Zalal’s eight-fight unbeaten streak, predicting that with a spot much five-round experience, the Moroccan rival volition find himself warring for a championship.

The co-main lawsuit saw UFC women’s bantamweight contender Joselyne Edwards of Panama determination a measurement person to a rubric changeable with a unanimous determination triumph implicit Brazil’s Norma Dumont, sweeping the scorecards 29-28, 29-28, 30-27.

Edwards (18-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC) had small occupation with Dumont (13-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC), extending her triumph streak to five. Dumont fell conscionable abbreviated of a four-year unbeaten run, having won her erstwhile six outings earlier taking her archetypal nonaccomplishment since May 7, 2022.

In the lightweight division, Rafa Garcia of Mexico halted Alexander Hernandez’s four-fight winning streak, earning a unanimous determination 29-28, 29-28, 30-27. Garcia (19-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) has won 3 successful a row, keeping the combat connected the feet, taking Hernandez’s champion punches portion giving backmost his ain astatine a overmuch higher rate. Hernandez (18-9 MMA, 10-8 UFC) had not mislaid since April 6, 2024.

Bantamweight Davey Grant of England earned a unanimous determination against UFC debutant Adrian Luna Martinetti, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, successful an entertaining all-around affair. Grant (18-8 MMA, 9-7 UFC) has won 5 of his past 7 fights, portion Luna Martinetti (17-2 MMA), who hails from Ecuador, has not mislaid since September 20, 2017.

At bantamweight, Brazil’s Raoni Barcelos squeaked retired a split-decision triumph against Montel Jackson, taking 2 of the 3 judges’ scorecards, 29-28, 28-29, 29-28. Barcelos (22-5 MMA, 11-4 UFC) extended his winning streak to five, dating backmost to February 24, 2024. On the different side, Jackson (15-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) has mislaid back-to-back fights since his six-fight winning streak, which spanned March 2021 until past October.

Heavyweight Ryan Spann delivered a blitzing close manus to nonstop Brazilian Marcus Buchecha to the canvas, finishing the combat by knockout astatine 2:10 of the 2nd circular to unfastened the UFC Vegas 116 six-fight main paper with what became the lone finish. Spann (24-11 MMA, 10-6 UFC) has won back-to-back fights and 3 of his past four. Buchecha (5-3-1 MMA, 0-2-1 UFC), a seasoned grappler, remains winless successful the promotion.