Merab Dvalishvili, the current UFC Bantamweight Champion, recently took the opportunity to speak highly of his close friend and former champion of the division, Aljamain Sterling.
Speaking during the post-fight press conference following UFC 316, Dvalishvili detailed the significant support he received from Sterling during his training camp, even while Sterling is preparing for his upcoming wedding and currently without a fight scheduled.
“Let me say something, guys,” Dvalishvili began. “In this training camp, my friend Aljamain Sterling helped me a lot; he doesn’t have a fight right now, he is preparing for his wedding. He doesn’t like to spar, but he sparred with me three times in a week.”
Dvalishvili then offered a striking comparison regarding Sterling`s performance during these training sessions.
“And he was twice better than Sean [O`Malley],” Dvalishvili asserted, referring to the fighter who defeated Sterling for the title. He concluded his thought by reflecting on that championship bout, stating, “This is proof that the best fighter doesn’t always win. O’Malley really got lucky against Aljo.”
Dvalishvili`s comments underscore the strong bond between the two fighters and his belief in Sterling`s skill, even after a title loss.
Tristan Blackwood