What’s a UFC card without a little weigh-in drama? At UFC Shanghai, that drama came when Brian Ortega and Aljamain Sterling hit the scales. As the final two fighters to weigh in, rumors swirled that Ortega had been hospitalized and pulled from the fight after an ambulance was spotted at the fighter hotel.

In the end, the bout remained intact, though at a catchweight, with both men coming in at 153 pounds. The weight issue was reportedly on Ortega’s side, but it mattered little. ‘T-City’ versus “The Funkmaster” was officially on: a former featherweight title challenger against a former bantamweight champion in a five-round co-main event.

Whether Brian Ortega was compromised by the cut wasn’t clear at first, but Sterling was the one pressing forward from the opening bell. He hacked away at Ortega’s lead leg inside and out, while Ortega’s output remained in single digits for much of the early action. Neither man threatened a takedown, and after 25 minutes, Ortega had been thoroughly dominated. All three judges scored the fight 50-45 for Sterling. The crowd in Shanghai voiced their displeasure with boos, though Sterling earned a measure of goodwill by attempting to speak Chinese during his post-fight interview.

What’s more, after securing the victory, Aljamain Sterling called out UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski for a shot at the title, though he’ll likely have to wait behind Lerone Murphy and/or Movsar Evloev.

The win marked Sterling’s second in three appearances at featherweight, following a unanimous decision over Calvin Kattar and a unanimous decision loss to Evloev. Still, judging by fan reaction, that matchup with Volkanovski may not materialize. Why, you ask? Just minutes ago, when Spinnin Backfist posted on X, “This didn’t have to be 5 rounds,” fans echoed the sentiment.

Fans argue Aljamain Sterling doesn’t deserve the star status

“True that, Ortega would have won if he wasn’t a zombie, he’s not making 145 ever again,” one user wrote. And zombie indeed, Ortega was. Reports claimed he fainted during his weight cut and had to be rushed to the hospital for treatment. Later, it was revealed that “T-City” was in stable condition and managed to step onto the scale during the official weigh-in alongside the 25-5 fighter. Even though the 16-5 contender was cleared, judging by how the fight played out, questions have been raised about Aljamain Sterling’s stamina.

Another fan echoed frustrations over the fight’s pace, writing, “I agree, 2 rounds of this would have been enough.” Interestingly, the 36-year-old Sterling admitted he was baffled by having to compete in a five-round co-main event without extra pay. “Yeah, I don’t know why it’s five rounds,” he told MMA Fighting. “I don’t know if Brian Ortega is the one who asked for five rounds. But five-round main events, if you’re not the champion, you get an extra pay incentive. So I’m kind of annoyed because we’re not getting extra pay for five rounds.” Meanwhile, one fan, fed up with the lack of action, quipped, “They wanted to make sure that we had more time to wake up for the main event.”

Others were even more blunt in their criticism. One viewer, disappointed with the co-main event, wrote, “This fight was hard to watch. 🗑️🚮.” Another, frustrated with Sterling’s cautious approach, asked, “What the f— is Aljo doing man, Ortega isn’t a threat, try to finish him or submit him man.” Echoing the sentiment, another fan added, “This didn’t have to be at all. This fight didn’t have me wanting to get up early. Boring.”

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The backlash didn’t stop there. One fan declared, “They should have just cancelled the fight man.” Others piled on with similar disappointment, one calling it “2 reta— fighting,” while another summed it up as, “This sh-t was so a–.” Some even suggested, “Both Sterling and Ortega need to be cut.” Anyway, with no response yet from Alexander Volkanovski, it remains to be seen what Aljamain Sterling decides to do next. That said, who do you want to see “The Funk Master” fight next?