Aljamain Sterling Dominates Ortega in Co-Main

Aljamain Sterling reminded fans in Shanghai why he was once a UFC champion. In the co-main event of UFC Fight Night, the former bantamweight king cruised to a unanimous decision over Brian Ortega in a 153-pound catchweight bout, sweeping the scorecards 50-45.

Sterling Too Fast, Too Sharp

Sterling (25-5) dictated the pace from the opening bell. His speed and footwork were simply too much for Ortega (16-5, 1 NC), who landed just 7% of his strikes in the first round and struggled to adjust as the fight wore on. Across five rounds, Sterling mixed hi s jab, kicks, and takedown threats to keep Ortega on the defensive.

It was one of Sterling’s cleanest performances since losing his bantamweight belt to Sean O’Malley in 2023. Since then, he’s gone 2-1, showing that he’s adjusting well to competing at higher weight.

What It Means for the Division

The win puts Sterling back in the conversation at featherweight, where he is currently ranked No. 9 by ESPN. While Ortega entered the fight ranked No. 4, the lopsided loss marks his second straight defeat and his fifth in seven fights, leaving his future in title contention uncertain.

For Sterling, the path is brighter. A top five matchup against contenders like Yair Rodriguez , Movsar Evloev, or even a rematch with Alexander Volkanovski could be within reach if the UFC wants to test his ceiling at 145 pounds.

Back in the Mix?

Saturday’s performance won’t immediately vault Sterling into a title shot, but it reestablishes him as a serious player at featherweight. With two wins in his last three and a dominant showing against a top five opponent, Sterling has proved he belongs in the mix for 2025.