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So it's something I've known for a while and even with Cejudo's inactivity, I still think he's a way better fighter than Aljamain Sterling in all aspects. Bantamweight despite being hailed as one of the best weight classes has always seemed massively overrated to me skill wise and some of the top echelon seems flat out stinky. If anything it's regressed in recent years and Aljo as a dominant champion is proof of that. This is a guy who got put on a stretched by Marlon Moraes who Cejudo took the soul of and while MMAth means very little it's something that should be stated.
Sterling struggles against people who have good fundamental grappling. The Pedro Munhoz fight was very smelly because he knew he couldn't enforce any offensive grappling and had to resort to a very ugly looking standup fight which he almost
lost.
Yan is a pure striker with little to know grappling experience and took him to a split decision. Yan has also been on the slide looking like the Yoel Romero of BW, he got battered and outstruck by number 13 Sean O'Malley and dominated by Merab "I do nothing but fail takedowns" Dvlashvilli. I also suspect Yan is an average fighter who is going to go on an extended slide so that's not an age I suspect will age well at all
The TJ Dillashaw fight, I don't really respect him for. TJ was an old unjuiced shell of himself who shouldn't have even been there and had 1 arm. He lasted until the second round against Aljo. What do you think he can do offensively to an Olympic level wrestler? Cejudo destroyed him in 10 seconds way closer to his prime.
His most impressive win is Sandhagen who while is a solid fighter is by no means championship material or the same caliber of fighter that Cejudo is. Sandhagen's competition is mostly consisting of old men or washed up fighters like TJ, Edgar and post Cejudo Marlon Moraes. His fight with Marlon "BW Masvidal" Vera was very sloppy and he took him to a split decision. Not a good look
In short I think Sterling is a temporary champion who is fortunate he's in a division where the quality of grapplers is severely lacking. All there has to offer is Umar who hasn't made his way up yet or, Merab (who is rank squatting and wasting time). I feel like the top guys at BW would be exposed in the Featherweight or Lightweight division and Cejudo would have a very easy time with most of them. Even DJ (who Sterling was studying intently in preparation for the Cejudo matchup) says Cejudo would beat Aljo. It's probably one of my most confident picks since Edwards vs Usman 2 and that worked in my favor. I just don't see the talent everyone keeps raving about and I think even an inactive Cejudo is heads and shoulders above the rest of the division.
Sterling struggles against people who have good fundamental grappling. The Pedro Munhoz fight was very smelly because he knew he couldn't enforce any offensive grappling and had to resort to a very ugly looking standup fight which he almost
lost.
Yan is a pure striker with little to know grappling experience and took him to a split decision. Yan has also been on the slide looking like the Yoel Romero of BW, he got battered and outstruck by number 13 Sean O'Malley and dominated by Merab "I do nothing but fail takedowns" Dvlashvilli. I also suspect Yan is an average fighter who is going to go on an extended slide so that's not an age I suspect will age well at all
The TJ Dillashaw fight, I don't really respect him for. TJ was an old unjuiced shell of himself who shouldn't have even been there and had 1 arm. He lasted until the second round against Aljo. What do you think he can do offensively to an Olympic level wrestler? Cejudo destroyed him in 10 seconds way closer to his prime.
His most impressive win is Sandhagen who while is a solid fighter is by no means championship material or the same caliber of fighter that Cejudo is. Sandhagen's competition is mostly consisting of old men or washed up fighters like TJ, Edgar and post Cejudo Marlon Moraes. His fight with Marlon "BW Masvidal" Vera was very sloppy and he took him to a split decision. Not a good look
In short I think Sterling is a temporary champion who is fortunate he's in a division where the quality of grapplers is severely lacking. All there has to offer is Umar who hasn't made his way up yet or, Merab (who is rank squatting and wasting time). I feel like the top guys at BW would be exposed in the Featherweight or Lightweight division and Cejudo would have a very easy time with most of them. Even DJ (who Sterling was studying intently in preparation for the Cejudo matchup) says Cejudo would beat Aljo. It's probably one of my most confident picks since Edwards vs Usman 2 and that worked in my favor. I just don't see the talent everyone keeps raving about and I think even an inactive Cejudo is heads and shoulders above the rest of the division.
