Aljamain Sterling knows he should have already competed for UFC gold.
Following a four-fight win streak including victories over a trio of top 15 ranked opponents, the New York native was considered one of the best bantamweights in the world when the UFC had to crown a new 135-pound champion following Henry Cejudo’s retirement.
Sterling called for the title shot and Petr Yan appeared to be the most likely candidate to oppose him after rattling off six consecutive wins to start his UFC career. While Yan hadn’t faced the same level of competition as Sterling, he had momentum on his side and sometimes that matters more than wins or losses in the UFC.