Aljamain Sterling is convinced that his peak performances are yet to be witnessed following his official departure from the 135-pound division. In a candid conversation with Ariel Helwani on “The MMA Hour” by MMAFighting, Sterling expressed his belief that he has found his rightful place in the featherweight category.
Reflecting on his past struggles with the bantamweight limit, Sterling admitted, “Just the thought of it gives me a headache and makes me nauseous. Like, people tell me I wear it well, and I don’t look like I’m hurting, ‘Oh, you had such a great weight cut.’ I’m like, I am literally dying inside. I could poker face it all I want because mentally, that’s just the way I’ve always been. It’s like, you don’t show weakness in that way. You always try to show people that you’re good even when you’re not.”
Acknowledging the toll it took on him, Sterling believes that his previous performances may not have showcased his true potential.
He explained, “But I know I’ve been hurting for a very, very long time. And I even think my past performances have kind of not been the best of me because of that. I just think I lose a little bit of myself and leave a little bit of myself in the gym. Cardio-wise, I don’t have the same output as I used to. And I’m kind of excited to just see what that’s going to look like at ‘45 and see if I can get back to that — that guy who’s in between rounds and is able to talk to the fans and yell to the crowd, and just show I’m full of energy and I’m ready to go.”
