Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling seems game to abandon his trademark ground game at UFC Qatar later this year.
The UFC’s return to Qatar features a light heavyweight main event between former champion Jiri Prochazka and Navajo Stirling. Prochazka and Stirling will battle for a potential light heavyweight title shot amidst Carlos Ulberg’s ongoing absence.
Outside of the main event, UFC Qatar features many high-octane bouts on the undercard. One of which is a UFC featherweight clash between Aljamain Sterling and Kevin Vallejos, who are both working towards a potential title nod.
As Sterling prepares to potentially stop another fighter’s hype train, Vallejos challenged the former bantamweight titleholder to an all-striking bout.
Kevin Vallejos and Aljamain Sterling expect to put on a show in UFC Qatar co-headliner
In a recent tweet following the UFC Qatar card announcement, Vallejos shared his first thoughts on the Sterling matchup and proposed an intriguing offer.
“I think my fight with Sterling will be pure striking,” Vallejos tweeted about Sterling.
“ALL the fans win with this one. Legend vs. Prospect. All-out striking war in a full arena.”
After Vallejos’ proposition, Sterling didn’t take long to respond.
“Can’t wait!” Sterling replied.
If Sterling takes an all-striking approach against Vallejos later this year, it could be a big mistake against the surging contender. Vallejos has earned recent wins over Josh Emmett, Giga Chikadze, and Seung-Woo Choi.
Sterling has bounced back from a close loss to Movsar Evloev with back-to-back wins over Youssef Zalal and Brian Ortega. The former bantamweight champ made the full-time move to featherweight after a loss to Sean O’Malley at UFC 292.
While Prochazka vs. Stirling is the main event in Qatar, don’t be surprised if Sterling vs. Vallejos steals the spotlight, especially if the two featherweights keep the fight standing.
What is your prediction for Aljamain Sterling vs. Kevin Vallejos at UFC Qatar? Share your thoughts in the comments!
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
