Aljamain Sterling, preparing for his fight against Movsar Evloev at UFC 310, reflects on Dana White’s criticism of Evloev’s style and the decision to place their bout on the prelims, noting that while he understands fans’ desire for finishes, he remains focused on his performance and appreciates the renewed support from fans despite past controversies.
Aljamain Sterling might not have much of that “Dana White privilege,” but he thinks he might still be in better graces with the UFC boss than his opponent this Saturday at UFC 310. Facing Movsar Evloev, Sterling takes a moment to address the criticism surrounding Evloev’s UFC run. The Russian fighter has gone 8-0 without a single finish, drawing ire from some, including Dana White himself.
White didn’t hold back when he slammed Evloev for a lackluster fight against Arnold Allen back in January. “That was the least fun fight anybody has ever seen,” White said, adding that it was the fans who lost out. Ouch! Sterling, who’s also been on the receiving end of White’s frustrations, couldn’t help but grin seeing someone else take the heat this time.
“I can appreciate a technical fight,” Sterling commented. He doesn’t find Evloev boring and thinks Dana’s critique of the Allen fight was a bit over-the-top. Maybe it’s just that Dana dislikes Movsar more than him? Sterling chuckles at the thought, considering it a win in itself.
Despite respecting Evloev’s ability to secure wins, Sterling knows fans crave finishes—something Evloev hasn’t delivered since joining the UFC. “Eight fights, no finishes,” Sterling pointed out. At least he’s got a couple of finishes under his belt from earlier in his career when things were less competitive.
Sterling aims to change that narrative by finishing Movsar this Saturday. Yet oddly enough, their clash isn’t even on the main card at UFC 310. Not even headlining the prelims! That decision baffles Sterling.
Perhaps it’s due to White’s disdain for their grappling-heavy styles? But with the fight days away, Sterling can’t dwell on it. “I haven’t spoken to the UFC about it,” he admitted, shrugging off any concerns about card placement affecting his paycheck.
More viewers tend to watch prelims anyway, he muses. The downside? A less-packed arena in Vegas since folks are out living it up until the main card starts. But hey, Sterling plans to party post-fight regardless—win or lose!
Fans weren’t thrilled about Sterling and Evloev being sidelined to prelims either. Even Bryce Mitchell voiced support for Sterling getting a higher spot than him on the main card. This unexpected fan rally is something Sterling appreciates, especially after feeling like an outsider since winning his title by disqualification in 2021.
“Thankfully they’ve gotten behind me,” Sterling noted with gratitude. It seems losing the belt has rekindled some fan love for him—a welcome change after being cast as a villain overnight following his controversial win over Cory Sandhagen. Life’s funny like that sometimes!