Kevin Vallejos Takes a Jab at Lerone Murphy, Books Ex-Champ Aljamain Sterling Next
The Argentine featherweight star calls out the #3-ranked contender after his injury and gets booked against Aljamain Sterling.
Kevin Vallejos has been unstoppable in the UFC since winning Dana White's Contender Series. The 18-1 star is on an incredible five-fight win streak.
Vallejos' most recent win came against Josh Emmett at UFC Fight Night in March. Four of his five UFC wins have come by finish, and he is not stopping.
The 24-year-old wants to fight before the year ends. Frustrated by a lack of challengers, Vallejos posted a message on X the day before he was booked for UFC Qatar.
Kevin Vallejos Throws Verbal Jab at Lerone Murphy
“Legends are legends because they are willing to fight anybody. Most 145ers in the top are scared to fight, so they pretend to be injured. We are all injured, but only some of us want to fight. The only people who deserve to contend for a title are the ones who FIGHT. No cry,” Vallejos wrote.
Although the Argentine didn’t specify who the message was aimed at, he followed up with a post reading “The English Ran,” aiming at #3-ranked Lerone Murphy.
After his first-ever professional loss against Movsar Evloev in March, Murphy was scheduled to fight Vallejos. Unfortunately, he pulled out of the bout due to an injury.
Now, after months of waiting, Vallejos has a name that could fast-track his journey toward the featherweight gold.
Vallejos vs. Sterling
#10-ranked Vallejos is looking for a title opportunity after his recent UFC run. Although his streak is hard to ignore, other ranked contenders are already in line.
Now, the Argentine will take on #4-ranked Aljamain Sterling in the co-main event of UFC Qatar on 21 November. This might be the right fight.
Sterling is ranked among the top 5 in the featherweight division, and a win could definitely push Vallejos into the title picture.
The fight against Sterling could be a stepping stone for Vallejos. A win would put him in title contention or potentially earn him a title eliminator bout.
The bout could go either way, but Vallejos has promised that his fight against Sterling will be a striking contest, heightening anticipation among fans. It remains to be seen whether he can deliver on that promise and get the job done.
