Aljamain Sterling Reveals UFC Gave Him a One-Hour Deadline to Accept Kevin Vallejos Fight

Matchmaking in the UFC moves at a rapid pace, but former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling recently received a firsthand reminder of just how fast the clock can tick.

Speaking about his upcoming return to the Octagon, Sterling revealed that promotion executives gave him a strict one-hour deadline to accept a fight against Kevin Vallejos. If he failed to give a green light within 60 minutes, the UFC was prepared to move on to another option for the card.

"These things move quick," Sterling said regarding the intense turnaround. "It was a situation where they had to make an announcement for the card, and it just happened I was training at that time. Luckily, it worked out because I did want to fight one more time before this year is up."

Why Vallejos Made Sense Over Pico

The swift deal silences recent narratives that Sterling was content staying inactive. Some fight fans speculated that the former 135-pound titleholder was intentionally waiting on the sidelines. However, Sterling clarified that his hiatus was simply a matter of finding a fight that made genuine sense for his career trajectory.

Before landing on Vallejos, company matchmakers pitched an offer to face former Bellator standout Aaron Pico. While a matchup against Pico carried name value for die-hard fans, Sterling immediately questioned the upside of taking on a competitor with limited UFC experience.

"I was offered the Pico fight, but what was that fight doing for me?" Sterling explained. "The guy’s 1-1. Vallejos makes way more sense."

For Sterling, facing Vallejos provides a much clearer stepping stone as he continues pushing forward in his featherweight campaign. Making major career decisions while in the middle of a workout session is far from ideal, but the outcome suits his timeline perfectly. With the bout now finalized, Sterling gets his wish to lock down one more fight-night performance before the calendar year closes.