UFC Hall of Famer Matt Serra won’t be leaving Aljamain Sterling’s side.
Serra, Sterling’s longtime coach, last week opened up about his disappointment in Sterling’s decision to not include him in his corner for his UFC 259 title fight against Petr Yan. Serra was replaced by Xtreme Couture coach Eric Nicksick, who worked with Sterling in Las Vegas ahead of the fight.
The decision prompted Serra to step away from cornering fighters, which drew speculation on a potential rift between him and Sterling, who claimed the UFC bantamweight title after Yan was disqualified for an illegal knee. But Serra took to Instagram to clarify that he and Sterling will continue working together as they always have.
Myself & @funkmastermma will always be cool
“People have been giving Aljamain Sterling a lot of hate, one because of the knee and two because they think me and him have some beef or something like that,” Sterling said in a video before Sterling appears with him. “It’s true, I’m stepping away from cornering, for now … but myself and the ‘Funkmaster’ are always gonna be cool. You know we love each other. I’m gonna help him defend this belt.”
Sterling (20-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC), who’s been embracing his status as bantamweight champ despite the criticism, also posted an image with Serra while posing with his belt.
In this together no matter what!
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#Jedis #Family #UFCChamps
Sterling became the first fighter in UFC history to win a title by disqualification, which led to an uproar of negative feedback from fans. Yan (15-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) was disqualified after he hit Sterling with an illegal knee while he was downed in the fourth round.
All parties, including the UFC, have expressed interest in a rematch as Sterling gears up for his first title defense. Perhaps Serra won’t be physically in Sterling’s corner, but he vows to be a part of his preparation as he always has.
What beef? Matt Serra says he and Aljamain Sterling ‘will always be cool’ despite corner snub
