Click here for Greater Long Island newsletters. Click here to download the iPhone app.
Aljamain Sterling is chasing immortality.
“I want to leave records that are going to be extremely hard to beat for decades,” the Long Island native said during an open workout on Friday, ahead of his upcoming title defense on Aug. 19.
Sterling, a Uniondale native with a pro MMA record of 22-3, is already considered one of the best bantamweight fighters to ever strap up the gloves in the UFC.
The current champion, who hasn’t lost a fight since 2018, broke the bantamweight record for title defenses (three) when he defeated former double champ Henry Cejudo in May at UFC 288 in Newark, N.J.
Now, he’s looking to grow his legacy as he preps for another title defense, this time against rising star “Suga” Sean O’Malley (16-1-0, 1 NC). The headline match will take place at TD Garden in Boston.
Sterling has been training at his home gym of LAW MMA in Garden City, owned by former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman, who will also be fighting on the card.
Sterling held a public workout on Friday in front of his home crowd on Long Island, where he predicted he’d take out O’Malley in the second round, most likely by knockout. However, he said, “If he gives me that neck… and he’s got a long neck,” he’ll submit him.
While Sterling said he looks at “one fight at a time,” he was asked about his next plans if he does win.
He said he wants to take some time off — perhaps have some drinks at his favorite bar, Johnny McGorey’s Pub in Massapequa — then bulk up to prep for a match against Alexander Volkanovski, the No. 1 ranked pound-for-pound fighter and current UFC Featherweight champion.
“I want to be in the history books,” he said. “I want to immortalize my name as best as I can.”
Scroll down for photos of Sterling during his open workout. The photos were taken by photographer Andre Bond.
Related coverage
Photos
