Aljamain Sterling announces Henry Cejudo title defense at UFC event in March

Reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling is planning to make his next 135-pound title defense against former division kingpin Henry Cejudo at one of the promotion’s upcoming pay-per-view (PPV) events in March, according to a recent social media post from the rehabbing “Funk Master.”

“I’m announcing that I am gonna fight Henry next,” Sterling said. “We are targeting March. So I will say, Ali (Abdelaziz) brother, it’s done, but it’s still not done until there’s ink on the paper, you know what I mean? But it’s done. It’s done brother, but it’s still kind of not done, you know? But this is the fight that’s going to happen next.”

Cejudo (16-2), who briefly retired from MMA in early 2020, reentered the USADA testing pool earlier this year with grand plans of capturing a third title at 145 pounds. Unfortunately for “Triple C,” featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski was promoted to lightweight for a special “champ champ” bout against Islam Makhachev at UFC 284 in Perth.

“The Liver King has a better chance of working for USADA than you do of beating me,” Cejudo wrote on social media. “Get off your ass, take a shower and shave your vag. CCC Vs Aljaqueef in March.”

Groan.

Sterling (22-3) has captured eight straight wins, which includes consecutive title defenses against former champions Petr Yan and TJ Dillashaw. There was talk of having “Funk Master” defend against bantamweight knockout artist Sean O’Malley — fresh off his “No Mercy” upset — but it appears the promotion (or at least Sterling) has other plans.

Until UFC gets signatures from both sides, consider this pairing officially unofficial.