NEWARK, N.J. — Aljamain Sterling won his title fight and then another almost broke out in the Octagon.
Sterling defeated Henry Cejudo via split decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47) in the main event of UFC 288 on Saturday night at Prudential Center. With the very close win, Sterling retained his UFC bantamweight title.
After the bout, the UFC brought Sterling’s next challenger, the popular Sean O’Malley, into the Octagon. Sterling and O’Malley started jawing at each other on the microphone, which was being held by interviewer Joe Rogan.
O’Malley told Sterling that he fought like “s—” and “better fight better than that” if he is going to beat him.
“I’ll drag your ass up and down the Octagon,” Sterling told O’Malley in response. “Get your ass out of my cage.”
O’Malley and Sterling’s team started to get into it verbally and had to be separated.
UFC president Dana White was one of the ones holding them back. Sterling’s teammate Merab Dvalishvili, another top UFC bantamweight, put on O’Malley’s jacket after he took if off to stare down with Sterling, and O’Malley took umbrage.
Sterling then got involved, but the scuffle was quickly quelled. Sterling said he wanted to fight O’Malley in September.
Meanwhile, Cejudo, who was fighting for the first time in three years after retiring previously, said in his postfight interview that this could be his final bout.
“I’m a little confused right now,” Cejudo said. “If I’m not first, I’m last.”
The fight itself was razor close, so much so that the crowd booed the decision. Sterling was able to nullify the wrestling of Cejudo, a former Olympic gold medalist in the sport, for the majority of the fight. The grappling was largely a stalemate, and both men had moments on the feet, though not a ton of them. Cejudo was sporting a cut under his right eye midway through the bout. Sterling outlanded Cejudo 135-99 in significant strikes.
“Persistence is going to keep on…
