Aljamain Sterling would’ve considered retirement with loss at UFC Vegas 116

TL;DR

Aljamain Sterling considered retirement if he lost at UFC Vegas 116 but instead won decisively against Youssef Zalal. He demonstrated strong striking and grappling skills, securing a unanimous decision victory.

Key points

Aljamain Sterling considered retirement if he lost
He won against Youssef Zalal at UFC Vegas 116
Sterling showcased aggressive striking and grappling
The fight ended in a unanimous decision victory

Aljamain SterlingYoussef ZalalUFC Vegas 116

Aljamain Sterling showed he still has plenty left in the tank on Saturday night. | Getty/UFC

Aljamain Sterling has no desire to hang around beyond his expiration date in mixed martial arts.

That’s why the former bantamweight champion was willing to look at his career realistically had he fallen flat against Youssef Zalal in the UFC Vegas 116 headliner. Instead, “The Funk Master” was in peak form as he overwhelmed his foe with agressive striking on the feet and dominant grappling on the mat en route to a unanimous decision triumph.

“I’m not going to lie to you, definitely thoughts of retirement and things like that crossed my mind. Depending on how I lost, if I were to lose, and just being realistic,” Sterling said on the post-fight show.

“If I can’t compete, I don’t want to do this anymore. It’s not that I don’t want to do it because there’s no future for it. It’s just if I can’t compete with these young guys, why are you sticking around just taking an ass whooping for no reason?”

Zalal entered Saturday’s card with plenty of momentum. His eight-fight winning streak included five victories in the UFC, and “The Moroccan Devil” had dispatched veterans Calvin Kattar and Josh Emmett in his last two Octagon appearances. Sterling would’ve been his most significant victory to date, but Zalal learned he still has some work to do to reach that level.

“Is it a passing of the torch type of fight?. I was just happy I was able to pass the test with flying colors,” Sterling said. “I’m not sticking around — I’ve got enough money, could always use a little bit more though — but it’s just one of those things. This sport hurts. Ain’t nobody looking to stick around and let these young bucks just beat you up.”