Aljamain Sterling Reflects on UFC 310 Loss: I Don’t Want to Retire, But…

Aljamain Sterling

Aljamain Sterling, the former bantamweight champion, finds himself at a crossroads after a narrow decision loss to Movsar Evloev at UFC 310. The bout, which many saw as a potential title eliminator at 145 pounds, left Sterling questioning his future in the sport but not quite ready to call it quits.

On The Weekly Scraps Podcast, Sterling shared his candid thoughts following the defeat.

“When we were in the back room, I told the guys, ”I don’t really know what I’m going to do from here. At 35, I don’t know if I want to climb the ladder all over again, ” Sterling admitted.

The decision loss to Evloev marked a significant setback, especially after his earlier featherweight victory over Calvin Kattar at UFC 300 reignited hopes of a second title run. Sterling highlighted the physical challenges that have accumulated over his career.

“I can’t train the way I used to. I used to do two, three sessions a day, but my body just can’t handle it anymore,” he revealed. 

Despite his relative youth in the MMA world at 35, the years of grueling training camps and surgeries have taken their toll.

“It’s tough to talk like this because people think, ‘You still look good,’ but my body hurts,” he added.

Sterling expressed doubts about whether he has the capacity to endure the intense preparation needed to contend for another championship. Though uncertain about his next move, Sterling remains competitive. He is eager for a rematch with Evloev, believing he has what it takes to hand the undefeated fighter his first loss.

“I still think I can beat him,” Sterling said confidently. “I don’t think that fight left me feeling like I’m not on his level.”

The judges unanimously awarded Evloev the second and third rounds, but Sterling felt the final frame was closer than it appeared.

“I can see how they gave him the third, but I feel like I landed the more effective strikes and had that big slam,” he argued.

For now, Sterling’s future is up in the air, with retirement not entirely off the table. However, one thing is clear: Sterling is determined to make his decision based on what’s best for both his body and his legacy.