The UFC Bantamweight Champion answered some Twitter questions for his YouTube Channel. Dana White, Sean O’Malley, and the BMF title were the topics of the day.
How does it feel to be the one to end the hyped-up Suga show?
”This division has been plagued with Sugar for way too long. It’s time I take this division out to the dentists and get this cavity [O’Malley] removed. This is going to be a great fight; I think people are writing Sean off a little more than they should”.
”Don’t get me wrong; I do think that on paper, I have the better skill set. I can’t wait to go out there and prove that even with a guy as dangerous of a striker as him [O’Malley] and all the other high-level strikers I’ve faced in the past, wrestling trumps all, especially when you use good timing, good conditioning and you just have the will and desire to win. I think this one is [going to be] not easy, but I do think that after this [fight], I will be Mr four-time [defending champion] Funkmaster”.
Why do you think Dana never liked you?
”I don’t wanna go back and forth with the Dana thing anymore. I think the media is making this more than it was meant to be. It was [my comments on being disrepected] just me saying my piece and clearing the air on the step-by-step order of events. Dana never makes fights the night of the fight. [For] some reason, he made fights the night of the fight [following Sterling’s victory over Henry Cejudo], and there was never a second of ‘hey, let me call him and talk to him n the back room, check on his injuries, see how he’s feeling.”
Sterling wanted to highlight that he doesn’t want to come across as always moaning, arguing that he is willing to accept all challengers for his belt. He would just like to be kept informed and shown a little more respect.
”I’m always down [to fight], but it would have been nice to have some sort of consultation beforehand so that we have some a script or narrative that we’re going to run with beforehand as business partners because at the end of the day, we are business partners whether he [Dana White] likes it or not”.
”I think I’m one of the realest guys out here, like, honestly, I keep it straight, one hundred, every single time I talk. I don’t play none of these stupid a** games”.
Sterling then went on to suggest that maybe he gets mixed messages and unfavorable treatment in terms of how the UFC brass portrays him because he is not at the level of stardom as Conor McGregor. ‘Funkmaster’ said he felt this was due to the nature of MMA promotion as he’s seen Dana White say conflicting things about fighters in the past, and Sterling stressed that he understood it is just part and parcel of being in the UFC.
”I don’t know if Dana doesn’t like me. Behind the scenes, he’s always great to me. He’s given me advice on my personal family stuff, and good advice on how to keep my money and things like that, so I can’t say Dana’s a bad guy, but in terms of just giving me a fair shake in the press”.
Thoughts on Poirier versus Gaethje
The Q&A in his car ended with Sterling discussing the upcoming BMF title fight between Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje, a fight which the Bantamweight is excited about, particularly after having rewatched their first fight recently.
”With these guys, they agree to stand in the center [of the octagon], trade some punches, kick the crap out of each other’s shins, calves, and legs. What more could you ask for? I’m excited to see this fight again. The only thing that concerns me is that whoever wins this fight is supposed to get the next title shot [at lightweight].”
Sterling explained that the winner would likely have to wait on the sidelines for a while as the winner of Dariush and Oliveira is expected to have the next crack at the champion, Islam Makhachev.
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