With UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling uncertain if he’ll be able to compete in March, top contender Sean O’Malley and Henry Cejudo take aim at each other.
A match between Sterling and Cejudo seemed like a done deal, but Sterling recently revealed the he may not be ready to compete by the targeted March date that the fight promotion has in mind.
“You guys are probably wondering if we’re going to fight or not. The fight is supposed to be myself and Henry Cejudo. I think that’s all said and done. It’s whether or not I can compete with this torn bicep again,” Sterling said on his podcast.
“Going through another training camp with a torn bicep, against a guy who is stronger in the wrestling department, who will use his wrestling more with inside leg trips, double legs, high crotches, and trying to run the pipe into these lifts. … I’m going to need this bicep to compete at 100 percent,” Sterling continued.
“And I don’t take Henry Cejudo lightly. Even though I laid out all the ways that I could win and do that for 25 minutes, I have to get in shape, and it’s hard to get in shape when I have this thing compromise me the entire time. Yes, I can run. Yes, I can do sprints. Those are all cool, but I need to make sure I have the grappling endurance to go 25 minutes with a guy like Henry. He’s smaller, so his conditioning is going to be much better, because he’s not going to be cutting as much weight as he’s been cutting. So I’m already compromised going in. … Is it realistic for me to fight in March? I don’t really think it is.”
Top bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley quickly jumped at the opportunity to call out the former two-division titleholder with Sterling undecided if he’ll be able to face ‘Triple-C.’
“Is AljoComain fighting Henry or not I’m confused ? He Said his bicep is torn. If that’s the case let me beat up Henry,” O’Malley wrote on Twitter.
Is AljoComain fighting Henry or not I’m confused ? He Said his bicep is torn. If that’s the case let me beat up Henry
— Sean O’Malley (@SugaSeanMMA) January 10, 2023
It didn’t take Cejudo long to respond to O’Malley and accept the challenge.
“Sean you like a pack of Skittles that had an abortion. Any time, any place,” Cejudo wrote.
Sean you like a pack of Skittles that had an abortion. Any time, any place.
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) January 10, 2023
🏆🏆🏆 https://t.co/yfvK2BXhCc
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With Aljamain Sterling uncertain, Sean O’Malley and Henry Cejudo target each other