Aljamain Sterling on Aldo, Edgar’s bantamweight moves: ‘It doesn’t make a ton of sense’

Former UFC lightweight champ Frankie Edgar and former UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo will both soon debut in the bantamweight division. Top bantamweight contender Aljamain Sterling isn’t sure how these two decorated former champs will perform in this lighter weight class.

“Two belts in two different weight classes would be historic, but they’re old in fight years, they’re older in age, and they’re fighting guys who are almost a decade younger than them – so it’s going to be very interesting to see how they do,” Sterling said on UFC Unfiltered recently (via MMA Junkie). “I’m not wishing them any type of ill will, but at the same time, I just wish they hug each other for 15 minutes and have boring fights.

“I don’t really understand or can make much sense out of it. I’m like, ‘You guys established yourselves as (1)45-ers – to come down at that age, that late in your career, it doesn’t make a ton of sense to me.’ It’s the last Hail Mary. It’s the last hurrah for another title shot and one more chance for them to become a champion again in another weight class.”

Jose Aldo will make his bantamweight debut against recent title challenger Marlon Moraes at UFC 245 later this month. Frankie Edgar, meanwhile, will make his debut in the division against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 246 in January.

Sterling is hoping both of these men put forth uninspiring performances in their bantamweight debuts so they don’t get in the way of more established bantamweight contenders.

“I hope all the guys coming down in weight class have an egg of a fight, and leave us real bantamweights who’ve been here, putting in the work, to get a shot,” Sterling said.

“I hope they have boring fights so our last fights stick out the most. All the old guys coming down – [Urijah] Faber, Edgar, Aldo – I hope they just get tired and just hug each other.”

What do you make of these comments from Aljamain Sterling?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 12/2/2019.