With just hours remaining until UFC 288 kicks off, the tension between UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo could not be higher. Both fighters have made weight and merely await the starting bell to settle their business in the octagon. Their competitiveness was on full display at the UFC 288 press conference as they went back and forth, screaming in each other’s faces at every possible opportunity.
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The animosity and mind games are in full effect, so much so that some of it spilled backstage. Henry Cejudo’s team members heckled Sterling as he was on his way back from the weigh-ins. Cejudo was the first to make weight, and they waited for an hour after he left just to have a dig at the champion.
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 04: In this handout image provided by UFC, Aljamain Sterling interacts with media during the UFC 259 press conference at UFC APEX on March 04, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Depleted from the weight cut and frustrated with the taunts, Sterling snapped at them while others held him back. The champion was in no mood to entertain their taunts and put them in their place. He even acknowledged that he could not physically confront any of them, as they would probably press charges against him.
‘Funkmaster’ had more to say as a clip of the altercation later popped up on Twitter.
Aljamain Sterling rips Henry Cejudo’s camp
Aljamain Sterling was evidently irked at the constant taunts from the Cejudo camp. They kept chanting “And New” as Sterling stepped on the scales. Later, when they followed him backstage, he had enough.
The 33-year-old did not hold back while venting his frustrations on Twitter. He wrote, “The disrespect was so unprofessional. I wanted to slap the sh*t out of all of them but I know I can’t do stuff like that.”
The disrespect was so unprofessional. I wanted to slap the shit out of all of them but I know I can’t do stuff like that.
Coaches stalking a fkn fighter while he’s killing himself to make weight is disgusting. That’s not “cringe” that’s massive disrespect and just not ok. Hope Aljo DOMINATES tomorrow night.
Backstage squabbles are becoming more and more frequent in the combat sports business. While it adds to publicity, it is easy for things to get out of hand as it did at UFC 279. Thankfully, no such escalation happened here, despite the provocations.
Meanwhile, Cejudo and Sterling were itching to have a go at each other at the ceremonial weigh-ins. The pair had to be separated quickly after they got physical.
As we head to the bantamweight title fight, who are you picking to win? Will the former double champion Henry Cejudo resume his career with a title win? Or will Sterling successfully defend his title for a third time?
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Give us your predictions for UFC 288 in the comments below.
