Aljamain Sterling facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Aljamain Sterling |
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Sterling at UFC 228 in 2018
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| Born | Aljamain Antoine Sterling July 31, 1989 Uniondale, New York, U.S. |
| Other names | Funk Master |
| Residence | Massapequa, New York, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Weight | 146 lb (66 kg; 10.4 st) |
| Division | Bantamweight (2011–2023) Featherweight (2011, 2024–present) |
| Reach | 71 in (180 cm) |
| Style | Submission Grappling, Collegiate Wrestling |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Fighting out of | Uniondale, New York, U.S. |
| Team | Serra-Longo Fight Team |
| Trainer | Ray Longo Matt Serra Eric Nicksick |
| Rank | Black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Matt Serra |
| Wrestling | NCAA Division III Wrestling All-American |
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 29 |
| Wins | 24 |
| By knockout | 3 |
| By submission | 8 |
| By decision | 12 |
| By disqualification | 1 |
| Losses | 5 |
| By knockout | 2 |
| By decision | 3 |
| University | SUNY Cortland, BS in physical education |
Aljamain Antoine Sterling (born July 31, 1989) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He is known by his nickname "Funk Master." He competes in the Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Sterling is a former UFC Bantamweight Champion. He was the first UFC champion to win a title by disqualification. Before joining the UFC, he was also a champion in the Cage Fury Fighting Championship. As of July 2025, he is ranked #7 in the UFC featherweight division.
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About Aljamain Sterling
Sterling was born in 1989 in Uniondale, New York. His parents were from Jamaica. He grew up with many brothers and sisters. To avoid getting involved in gang life, which some of his brothers did, Sterling started wrestling in high school in 2004.
His College Wrestling Journey
Sterling went to Morrisville State College to continue wrestling. There, he became interested in mixed martial arts (MMA) after meeting Jon Jones. Later, Sterling moved to Cortland and became a two-time NCAA Division III All-American in wrestling. He finished college with a degree in physical education.
Sterling's unique wrestling style earned him the nickname "The Funk Master."
Aljamain Sterling's MMA Career
While in college, Sterling was invited to try out MMA. After a few professional fights, he joined the Serra-Longo Fight Team.
Starting as a Professional Fighter
Sterling began his amateur fighting career in 2009. He had a great amateur record of 6 wins and 1 loss. He won championships in Raging Wolf and Extreme FC as an amateur.
He then turned professional and quickly won his first two fights. He won the Ring of Combat Bantamweight Championship by defeating Claudio Ledesma. After this, he signed with the Cage Fury Fighting Championships.
Sterling won his first fight in CFFC by TKO. This win led him to fight for the vacant CFFC Bantamweight Championship. He won this title by beating Sean Santella. Sterling successfully defended his CFFC title three times, winning each defense by a move called a rear naked choke. These impressive wins earned him a spot in the UFC.
Fighting in the UFC
Sterling made his UFC debut in 2014 at UFC 170. He won his first fight against Cody Gibson by a unanimous decision. He continued to win his early UFC fights, showing off his skills.
He faced his first loss in the UFC in 2016 against Bryan Caraway. After another loss in 2017, Sterling went on an impressive winning streak.
Road to the Championship
Sterling won several fights in a row, beating tough opponents like Brett Johns, Cody Stamann, Jimmie Rivera, and Pedro Munhoz. These wins showed he was a top fighter in the bantamweight division.
In June 2020, Sterling faced Cory Sandhagen in a fight that would decide who got to challenge for the UFC Bantamweight Championship. Sterling won quickly by submission in the first round. This win also earned him a "Performance of the Night" bonus.
Becoming UFC Bantamweight Champion
Sterling was set to fight Petr Yan for the UFC Bantamweight Championship in March 2021 at UFC 259. Sterling won the fight by disqualification because Yan used an illegal knee strike. This made Sterling the new UFC Bantamweight Champion. He was the first fighter in UFC history to win a championship this way.
Sterling and Yan had a rematch in April 2022 at UFC 273. Sterling won this close fight by a split decision, successfully defending his title.
He defended his title again in October 2022 at UFC 280 against T.J. Dillashaw. Sterling won by TKO in the second round.
In May 2023, Sterling defended his title for a third time against Henry Cejudo at UFC 288. He won by split decision, setting a new record for the most consecutive title defenses in the UFC Bantamweight division.
Losing the Title and Moving Up
Sterling faced Sean O'Malley in August 2023 at UFC 292. He lost the fight by technical knockout in the second round, losing his championship title.
After this, Sterling decided to move up to the Featherweight division. He fought Calvin Kattar in April 2024 at UFC 300 and won by unanimous decision. He later shared that he would have considered retiring if he had lost that fight.
Sterling then faced Movsar Evloev in December 2024 at UFC 310. He lost this fight by unanimous decision. Sterling is scheduled to fight Brian Ortega in August 2025.
Professional Grappling Career
Besides MMA, Sterling also competes in submission grappling, which is a type of wrestling without strikes. He has won several grappling matches against other skilled athletes.
Achievements and Awards
Mixed Martial Arts
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- UFC Bantamweight Championship (One time)
- First UFC champion to win a title by disqualification
- Three successful title defenses
- Most consecutive title defenses in UFC Bantamweight division history (3)
- Performance of the Night (One time)
- Most wins in UFC Bantamweight division history (14)
- Second longest win streak in UFC Bantamweight division history (9)
- UFC Bantamweight Championship (One time)
- Cage Fury Fighting Championships
- CFFC Bantamweight Championship (One time)
- Three successful title defenses
- CFFC Bantamweight Championship (One time)
- Ring of Combat
- ROC Bantamweight Championship (One time)
- World MMA Awards
- 2022 Comeback of the Year
Images for kids
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Sterling at UFC 228 in 2018
See also
In Spanish: Aljamain Sterling para niños
