Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo trade jabs ahead of UFC 288
- Doug Mattushek
- 4 May 2023
It's Funk Master v the King of Cringe for UFC Bantamweight supremacy on Saturday.
UFC Bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling is set to take on Henry Cejudo in a grudge match at UFC 288 on Saturday.
Speaking to the press ahead of the bantamweight belt showdown in New Jersey, Sterling was quick to point out how Cejudo lives up to the 'King of Cringe' title.
"He is a cringey guy," said the 33-year-old, as per
mmajunkie.com.
"I just think he's socially awkward. Other than that, as a competitor, I respect him and everything he brings to the table. He's just a strange cat. I'm not looking past him. I think he might be underestimating me. And if he does, that's going to be his shortcoming on May 6."
Given Cejudo's "easy money" comments, it's no surprise Sterling is happy to play the underdog tag...
"It's easy money," quipped Cejudo, the former two-division champion.
"I watched these guys after coaching some of the best in the world - Jon Jones, Demetrious Johnson, Zhang Weili, Deiveson Figueiredo, Jiri Prochazka - and I started to understand my talent a little bit better.
"I know there is a window, I know there is a gap where I really do have to say goodbye. I'm 36 years old, I'm 36 years young, and I feel good. I feel really good."
Last time out, Cejudo defended the bantamweight title against Dominick Cruz, then vacated the title just weeks later after this retirement. While that was back in 2020, the Californian has been sitting idle.
"Yeah, I've been retired for three years, but really, I've been retired for two because this whole last year I've been training," Cejudo explained.
"This whole last year I've been studying. Those last two years I've been training [with] the best in the world, and it's just the accumulation of knowledge. I may grow a gut, I may like fried chicken like Daniel Cormier, but I can compete with anybody, and I believe I'm the greatest competitor of all time."
