UFC’s Aljamain Sterling welcomes Diego Lopes as doable subsequent combat

Aljamain Sterling has one other prime UFC featherweight contender in thoughts if he doesn’t find yourself combating Movsar Evloev.

Former bantamweight champion Sterling (24-4 MMA, 16-4 UFC) was compelled out of his UFC 307 bout vs. Evloev (18-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) on Oct. 5 as a consequence of an harm. Evloev wished to stay on the cardboard however withdrew after a alternative couldn’t be discovered.

If the UFC doesn’t rebook him in opposition to Evloev at a later date, Sterling is fascinated about Diego Lopes (26-6 MMA, 5-1 UFC), whom he praised for the best way he’s risen.

“I feel Diego rising to his stardom and his rise within the sport within the UFC has been enormous. It’s nothing wanting inspiring, to be trustworthy,” Sterling advised The Schmo. “I’m glad for the man. I obtained to coach with him one time. He was a really good dude, very well mannered. I can sort of really feel the stress shift just a little bit now at any time when I see him.

“It looks like there’s just a little bit extra stress there. It’s not like I’m combating him tomorrow or he’s my subsequent scheduled combat. So for me, I don’t actually see some extent in being like that. However I can perceive why he’s just a little bit extra on guard when seeing me or assembly me.”

Sterling sees red-hot Lopes, who’s contemporary off battering Brian Ortega at UFC 306, because the opponent to catapult him to title rivalry.

“If we’re speaking concerning the subsequent greatest combat, if Movsar declines, I simply don’t know who else would he combat,” Sterling stated. “But when he provides me the choice, I’ve all the time wished Brian Ortega, so I might get the closest spot to the highest, and now that subsequent closest man is Diego Lopes.

“That’s all it’s. It has nothing to do with what this man did or that. It’s the title worth and what it will get me, danger vs. reward. If I’m going to danger it for the biscuit, that’s the man I’d danger it with.”