UFC bantamweight champ Aljamain Sterling calls for respect and professionalism from Team Cejudo, cautioning against their cornermen getting too involved in building hype for fights.
Aljamain Sterling has no hard feelings towards Henry Cejudo and his team following their recent interactions, and even offers some advice on how to handle pre-fight hype. According to Sterling, it’s one thing when opponents exchange words, but it crosses a line when their corners get involved. “When the teammates are mean-mugging and doing stuff and acting as if they’re going to attack somebody on the team, or even myself, I get a little bit more defensive and on the edge,” Sterling said on The MMA Hour. “It’s more about, be respectful man. There’s a right way and a wrong way to do things.”
Sterling was particularly irked by Cejudo’s longtime coach, Eric Albarracin, whom he accused of overstepping his role during the pre-fight build-up. “For you to be saying s*** like, ‘Make him piss blood.’ I’m like, ‘How about I make you piss blood? How about my coaches make you piss blood?’” Sterling remarked. Despite these tensions, no serious incidents occurred, and Sterling highlighted his team’s professionalism as a key factor. “We don’t act like asshats and clowns – have some damn respect for yourselves and your team, and carry yourselves like that,” he said.
The bantamweight champion also warned Albarracin that his antics may eventually cause him trouble, and it’s up to him to keep his behavior in check. “It’s like the people who always cry wolf, as soon as you actually retaliate and smack them in the face for saying something smart… they wanna now press charges and things like that,” Sterling explained. Despite all the talk, he harbors no personal animosity towards Cejudo, even finding some of his opponent’s behavior to be funny. “I don’t have an issue with the guy, like, personally. I think he’s a little odd…But yeah, he doesn’t bother me outside of that. It’s just, he signed the dotted line. That was the guy who was supposed to fight, and when you sign that, it’s like, it’s you or me, man.”