UFC 310: Pantoja vs Asakura is right around the corner, but even with the final PPV event of the year looming large over the horizon, MMA fans are outraged by the placement of one key matchup.
Former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling might have earned an impressive victory in his featherweight debut back in April – but ‘Funk Master’ has been left furious as once again, he’s been uninvited to the party going down on the UFC 310 main card.
Movsar Evloev shares contrasting opinion to Sterling over UFC 310 placement
The surprise of countless MMA fans, Aljamain Sterling vs Movsar Evloev, despite being a vitally important matchup at 145lbs, has been demoted down to the preliminary card for UFC 310.
This isn’t the first time Sterling has been forced to fight on the prelim portion of a PPV event, with his last bout against Calvin Kattar also coming early into the UFC 300 night; however, that card was substantially more stacked than UFC 310.
“I didn’t know if I should have been insulted by the placement on the fight card or glass half-full. I guess that’s the best way I try and look at everything in life,” stated Sterling via his official YouTube channel.
“At the end of the day, it’s not my organization. I don’t call the shots. I just go out there and compete, and it’s up to me to go out there and prove these guys wrong that I am a main card fighter.
“I think people are in for a very big surprise, and the UFC is gonna realize ‘we messed up big time by not putting this on the main card.”
Yet despite Sterling’s understandable annoyance, his UFC 310 opponent isn’t bothered by being buried on the prelims; he’s just happy with the fact that he gets to fight at all.
“Guys my fight will be broadcasted on ESPN, way more people will watch my fight than on the PPV,” stated Evloev in a post shared to his X (Twitter) page earlier today.
The pair were originally meant to face each other on the main card of UFC 307 in October before Sterling was forced to withdraw with an injury.
“I don’t even care if I’m the first fight of the night, I get paid the same. All my life I worked hard to earn thing nothing was ever given to me.”
Fans have mixed reactions to Evloev’s statement on UFC 310 prelims spot
There’s been a mixed reaction from fans to Sterling vs Evloev’s prelim placement; some argue that it’s unbefitting of such a meaningful matchup, while others state that a lack of finishing potential is why the two have been moved down.
“Aljo vs Evloev not being on the main card is outrageous,” read one post on r/UFC, with another claiming it was “atrocious” that the fight had been demoted from October’s prior placement.
Even on Evloev’s own post, there are mixed responses, with the top comment reading “You’re gonna put everyone to sleep with your boring fight.”
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Only a few messages later, another fan writes “This is the energy we need to see more of. Just a man that is grateful for the fruits of his labor.”
Considering the current bout order and the name value of those fighters on the prelims, do you agree with Sterling vs Evloev kicking off early, or would you rather it replace Gracie vs Mitchell on the main card?
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