UFC 292: Aljamain Sterling isn't looking past Sean O'Malley as move to featherweight looms

At the highest level of any sport, the difference between winning and losing is very small. It’s often the little things that spell the difference.

From the moment that Aljamain Sterling first stepped into the Octagon, it was obvious he was destined for big things in the UFC. He had a solid wrestling background and he was clearly a superb athlete.

After winning his first four UFC bouts in impressive fashion, Sterling hit a crossroads. He suffered back-to-back split-decision losses to Bryan Caraway and Raphael Assunção in his first leap up to the elite level of the sport. After decision wins over Augusto Mendes and Renan Barão, he was stopped by Marlon Moraes.

He was 2-3 in his last five and at a defining point in his career. He was no less talented than when he began, but some of the shine had been wiped off. Confidence is a precious commodity and after losing three of five, many can’t handle the mental adversity and wither away.

Others figure out what went wrong and come back better for it.

“It’s just being a student of the game and making sure I’m dialed in and not overlooking anybody,” said Sterling, who conceded he looked past Moraes and paid for it.

He won’t be looking past Sean O’Malley on Saturday in the main event of UFC 292, even though he’s a solid favorite. At BetMGM, he’s -250 to defeat O’Malley and just +150 to win by submission.

Sterling has so turned his game around that he’s reeled off nine consecutive wins since that loss to Moraes, leading many, prominently including UFC play-by-play broadcaster Jon Anik, to dub him as the greatest bantamweight in MMA history.

It’s up for debate and isn’t accepted unanimously, but the fact that he’s even in the conversation at this point is a testament to his greatness.

He’s probably in his final fight in the class, because he’s one of the division’s biggest and making the 135-pound title fight weight limit is becoming more of a chore.

He respects O’Malley, who is 8-1 in the UFC and whose striking has largely carried him to this point. If he wins, he'd set the divisional record with a fourth successful title defense.

Featherweight looms, though, and he’s not going to look to add onto it. He would only consider a return to 135 if he lost to O’Malley. If he wins, he’ll let the history books judge his bantamweight reign. He’s also close friends with No. 1 contender Merab Dvalishvili. The two won’t fight each other and so if he defeats O’Malley, he’ll likely abandon the belt and move up, allowing Dvalishvili the opportunity to fight for it.

It’d be a remarkable act of selflessness one doesn’t see in pro sports that often. In the UFC, it’s the champions and those fighting for championships who make the most money and to walk away from that so your friend would get a chance is rare.

“The weight cut is not fun and I do it well every single time, but it’s not fun,” Sterling said. “I could [make it again] for sure, if I absolutely had to, but then there’s the whole issue with Merab. Who’s more deserving of a title shot than Merab? No one, and given we aren’t going to fight each other, as long as I have the belt I’m keeping him from getting a shot at it.

“I’m getting older and the weight cut is so hard. I have a really good best friend in my weight class who is also one of my best training partners who should be fighting for a title. So I think it’s smart to use this opportunity [if I win] to move up and open the door for Merab to get what he deserves.”

That all begins with getting past O’Malley, whose speed and punching accuracy make him dangerous. And given his style is a bit awkward, he can punch from angles others don’t, and that leaves the chance of getting hit with a punch one doesn’t see coming.

O’Malley beat Petr Yan in a close fight, and Yan had a pair of close bouts with Sterling. So Sterling isn’t expecting to waltz through O’Malley as many people are expecting him to do.

“The kid’s got some skills, no doubt,” Sterling said of O’Malley.

One of the secrets to his nine-fight winning streak is just that. He pays attention. He knows the strengths and weaknesses of just about anyone he could face. He recognizes the threats they present to him and how best to defend against them.

He’s not universally popular because of his style but mostly because of what a large portion of the fan base saw when he won over Yan by disqualification. Yan hit him with an illegal knee and was correctly disqualified. But many fans were turned off by Sterling’s reaction after getting kneed in the head.

No matter, he hasn’t let that bother him. He knows that to win at the highest level, only one thing matters.

“I give everyone I face my total respect,” he said. “At the level we’re at, there are no easy fights. You can do a great job and make it look like an easy fight, but it takes plenty of hard work and discipline to get there and do that.

“I’ve learned over the years the way to approach things is to understand that you have to be on top of things every time out and be ready to go whenever it is that that bell rings, no matter what. That’s what we sign up for and that’s what I’ve tried to do.”