Joe Rogan questions Aljamain Sterling's decision to drink alcohol before fights

On episode 184 of the ‘Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show’, Joe Rogan sat down with former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling for a nearly three-hour-long discussion covering a variety of topics. At one point, the conversation turned toward Sterling's habits during training camp and his preparations immediately before a fight. Sterling revealed that he drinks alcohol during training camp and even has a drink the night before his fights.

The admission caught Rogan's attention, and he tried to convince the former champ to give up the unhealthy pre-fight ritual. 

Joe Rogan challenges Aljamain Sterling's pre-fight routine

Sterling openly admitted that having a drink is part of his preparation and insisted that he doesn't believe one or two drinks will make the difference between winning and losing a fight. He also revealed that his routine sometimes continues right up until the night before competition.

“I drink in training camp, and people think I’m crazy,” he said. “I drink the night before the fight. I have one glass, sometimes two. Three is like we are getting crazy. I’m not Jon Jones. I’m built different, but he’s built different than me. If I lose because of this one drink, I wasn’t supposed to win. Point blank period.”

Rogan was left in shock. He quickly responded and pushed against it. He argued that when two fighters are closely matched, even a tiny physical advantage could determine the outcome of a fight. 

He suggested that getting additional quality sleep rather than drinking could give Sterling the extra edge needed during a competitive bout.

“Okay, but let me push back on that,” Rogan said. “Imagine you’re fighting a guy who you and him are neck and neck. The difference is whether or not you go that extra REM sleep the night before where you could push when you lay off, when you lay back on the gas, when you really maybe could like if you were a little bit more rested.”

“You could just one extra move, one extra transition, one extra guard pass, one extra attempt at a submission, one extra thing that gets you the round,” Rogan continued. 

Aljamain Sterling rejects Joe Rogan's suggestion to change his routine

Rather than changing his routine, Sterling responded to Rogan by pointing to another part of his preparation that he believes helps him recharge before competing.

Sterling responded, “I take my naps before the fight. Recharge that battery.”

Check out the conversation between Joe Rogan and Aljamain Sterling below: 

Whether Sterling should change his pre-fight rituals is totally up to him. Despite that, he has performed well in the octagon and remains one of the best fighters in the sport. As for his UFC career, Sterling faced Youssef Zalal in his most recent outing in April. He put on a dominant performance and secured a unanimous decision victory.

The victory further solidified his position in the featherweight division. He has now picked up three wins in the new division, with his only loss coming against undefeated contender Movsar Evloev.