Life in the UFC can be as unpredictable as a spinning back fist. No one knows this better than Aljamain Sterling, the former bantamweight king who found himself on unfamiliar ground at UFC 310. Instead of basking in the spotlight of the main card, Sterling only earned a prelims spot at the behest of the UFC and Dana White. Speaking on his YouTube channel before the fight, ‘The Funkmaster’ confessed, “I didn’t know if I should have been insulted by the placement on the fight card or glass half-full.”

Facing the undefeated Movsar Evloev, Sterling fought tooth and nail but his efforts weren’t enough as he walked away with a heartbreaking unanimous decision loss. So, what’s next for the former champion? Well, in a recent chat with Ariel Helwani, he laid out his thoughts on the future and shared a glimpse of what he thinks his next fight should be!

After Dana White’s questionable UFC 310 placement Aljamain Sterling ready to move on to fresh matchups  

In a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Aljamain Sterling was asked, “So now speaking of the division, it seems like you’ve got that itch because I’ve seen you mention Ortega and Arnold Allen…” and the former champion’s plans going into 2025.

Seemingly unfazed by the UFC 310 setback, Sterling confessed, “I mean, I think London would give me 12 weeks or something like that or 10. And I think that’s ideal.” He also mapped out how he could assist his teammate Merab Dvalishvili’s camp for Umar Nurmagomedov before diving into his own training. The timeline feels right, but so does the potential matchup against Arnold Allen.

But Allen isn’t the only name on Sterling’s radar. He further stated, “Either him, Ortega, I heard he’s going up to 155. I love Ortega. He’s the man. Like, dude, super chill. But, I mean, we’re not, like, best friends or anything, so I don’t have a problem calling him out.”

A matchup with Brian Ortega promises not just technical brilliance but also a compelling narrative—two warriors testing their limits. Still, Sterling acknowledged the differences in their styles as he continued by sharing, “So I think it makes for a fun fight. It could be a fun stand up fight or maybe a fun grappling fight as well, or Arnold Allen. I think, we both had very close fights. I even some people think he beat Movsar. So maybe and we’re like the 2 defaults.”

Now the question is, what do the UFC and Dana White have in mind for the former bantamweight champion? Because after his loss at UFC 310, ‘The Funkmaster’ has come out with a surprising take on the possibility of him hanging up his gloves!

Sterling confesses that he doesn’t want to “retire” but the decision rests on White and UFC’s next offer  

Aljamain Sterling, once a dominant force in the UFC bantamweight division, now finds himself questioning his future after a tough loss to Movsar Evloev at UFC 310. The fight, long delayed because of Sterling’s shoulder injury, was supposed to reignite his featherweight ambitions. But instead of triumph, it brought him his second loss in three fights.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Sterling shared that the battle against Evloev started backstage! Why? He explained, “I drank a PRIME, I don’t know what happened. It turned my stomach and I thought I was good, and then I felt like I had to yack in the back.”

While he managed to make the walk to the cage despite being sick, he fell short when it came to the judges’ scorecards. However, he further shared that back in the locker room after the fight, he confessed to his team, “I’m gonna let you guys know, I don’t really know what I’m gonna do from here, I don’t know if I’m gonna (continue)’. At 35, I don’t know if I wanna climb the ladder all over again… The end goal is so much further away… Is that worth the time invested, the surgeries, the pain… I don’t want to retire but I’ve got to see what the UFC offers and then kind of make a decision from there.”

For Aljamain Sterling, the path ahead is as uncertain as the decision lies in the hands of Dana White and the UFC. With the sting of his UFC 310 loss still fresh, he stands at a pivotal moment in his career. The former champion’s candid reflections reveal a fighter caught between the desire to push forward and the weight of past battles.

Whether it’s a showdown with Arnold Allen, a clash with Brian Ortega, or the possibility of hanging up his gloves, Sterling’s next steps will define his legacy. So, will ‘The Funkmaster’ dance back into contention, or will the next fight be the final act of a storied career? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!