Aljamain Sterling (photo via UFC / YouTube)

By FCF Staff

Although Aljamain Sterling wishes he was holding the UFC’s bantamweight title, on account of his win over Cory Sandhagen, “Funk Master” sounds pretty happy about his current situation.

Sterling faced Sandhagen last Saturday at UFC 250, and quickly submitted his fellow contender in the opening round. Although Sterling has won five straight now, and is ranked #2, the #6 positioned Jose Aldo is fighting the #3 ranked Petr Yan for the vacant bantamweight title next.

While talking about that fact recently, and whether he’s bothered by it, Sterling said this (quotes via MMA Fighting).

“I’m always a guy that looks at every situation as glass half full,” Sterling said. “I can never complain about the situation that I’m in. I try to put everything into perspective. I’m doing what I love to do. There’s a lot of American citizens out there that do jobs that they hate, day in and day out. For me to do what I love to do, with people that I like and enjoy being around who are chasing the same dream, same passions, to have that around you day in and day out, I think it says a lot.

“Obviously, it would have been nice to have a bantamweight title on the line. I think Cory and I had the best resume and for me to go out there and take out a guy who had a better resume than Petr Yan in the way that I did, I think it says a lot about this division, how stacked it is. It says a lot about my abilities as well. I think people are really going to be taking notice and paying attention of what I’m capable of and what the team’s capable of.”

The 30-year-old also had this to say, while referencing Tony Ferguson, who not long ago was riding a 12 fight winning streak.

“I feel like I’ve kind of got that Tony Ferguson effect right now. I’m that guy hanging in the wings right now. I think people are really starting to pay attention and take notice of my skills and capabilities. You put me in there with anybody at 35 or 45, I get on your back, I take you down, it’s going to be a long night and it’s a dangerous situation to be in.”

Aldo – Yan will be part of UFC 251, which is taking place on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, July 11th.