The main card for the final pay-per-view of 2024 this weekend appears to be missing a crucial matchup between featherweight contenders. This weekend, former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling (24-4 MMA, 16-4 UFC) heads into one of the most pivotal fights of his career against the undefeated Russian juggernaut Movsar Evloev (18-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) at UFC 310. Moving up from the 135-lb. division following losing his belt to Sean O’Malley, “Funk Master” logged a sensational debut at 145 lbs., dominating Calvin Kattar en route to a unanimous decision win.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 13: Calvin Kattar and Aljamain Sterling exchange strikes during their featherweight fight at T-Mobile Arena on April 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
A War of Words on Social Media
When the time came to book his next bout, it was Evloev who answered the call, leading to both men taking jabs at each other over social media. For months, the two competitors have exchanged heated words in a very public dispute over X, building some much-needed anticipation for when they finally step into the cage together. Previously, they were scheduled to compete at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City, Utah, however, Sterling had to pull out of the contest due to picking an injury during a sparring session, forcing the contest to be moved to Las Vegas.
With likely title implications riding on the line for whoever comes out with their hand raised in this encounter, Sterling and Evloev’s clash stands as a prominent fight at UFC 310. Bafflingly, though, it will not take place on the event’s main card, but rather during its preliminary portion. This placement comes off as rather bizarre, seeing as how the main card features two other 145-lb. scraps between Bryce Mitchell and Kron Gracie, and Nate Landwehr and Doo Ho Choi, with Mitchell being the only ranked athlete among them.
Sterling Slighted by Prelims Spot
While Sterling seems to be taking the positioning of his bout with Movsar in stride. He even boasted in a video on his YouTube channel that, “I am a main card fighter. I think people are going to be in for a very big surprise, and the UFC is gonna realize we messed up by not putting this on the main card.” His spot on the prelims at UFC 310 will be the first time other than UFC 300 that the previous three-time defending bantamweight king hasn’t competed with top or near-top billing since his tussle with Pedro Munhoz at UFC 238 back in 2019. This still hasn’t spoiled his focus on his upcoming trip to “Sin City,” as the Serra-Longo Fight Team mainstay is determined to become get the job done, despite his opponent’s perfect record, “I’m no stranger to fighting undefeated fighters, I’ve turned them back before, and I fully intend to do that again.”
Evloev Still Perfect in UFC
Recently taking a unanimous decision victory over Arnold Allen earlier this year, Evloev has remained unblemished during his run in the promotion, so far. Compared to everyone else he has crossed paths with in the Octagon, however, Sterling will be by far the most experienced. For the streaking Russian, a win against a man who was counted among the pound-for-pound best at one point could be all that he needs to thrust himself into a championship main event at some point in 2025.
TORONTO, ONTARIO – JANUARY 20: (L-R) Movsar Evloev of Russia punches Arnold Allen of England in a featherweight bout during the UFC 297 event at Scotiabank Arena on January 20, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
