Aljamain Sterling expressed amusement and sarcasm on social media regarding Sean O’Malley‘s immediate rematch against Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight title at UFC 316, despite O’Malley’s previous loss to Dvalishvili and recent inactivity due to hip surgery.
Aljamain Sterling finds it quite amusing that Sean O’Malley is getting another shot at the championship. The UFC recently announced that Merab Dvalishvili will defend his bantamweight title against O’Malley at UFC 316, happening on June 7 in Newark, N.J. Their previous encounter wasn’t exactly nail-biting, with Dvalishvili securing a clear unanimous decision victory. Fans haven’t been too thrilled about this rematch, especially since O’Malley hasn’t stepped into the octagon since that loss last September.
O’Malley’s absence was due to hip surgery, keeping him out of action while Dvalishvili, who’s a close friend and teammate of Sterling, successfully defended his title against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 in January. Sterling took to social media to share his thoughts on O’Malley’s immediate rematch.
Sterling tweeted, “Honest answer, the UFC’s gonna do what’s best for the business and the brand.” He added that he would’ve liked an immediate rematch himself but understands the business dynamics. He acknowledged O’Malley’s exciting fighting style and his victories over top contenders as reasons for his return to the title fight.
Initially, it seemed like Sterling was backing O’Malley. However, subsequent tweets revealed a hint of sarcasm regarding O’Malley’s achievements inside the cage. It’s worth noting that Sterling and O’Malley have their history—O’Malley defeated Sterling by TKO to claim the bantamweight title at UFC 292.
Since then, Sterling has moved up to featherweight, boasting a win against Calvin Kattar but suffering a loss to Movsar Evloev. As June 7 approaches, Sterling is expected to be in Dvalishvili’s corner, anticipating another triumphant performance from “The Machine.” He humorously suggested fans not fret over O’Malley’s potential loss; they could always set up a trilogy bout if needed. You offer him a trilogy!