Despite all of that, no bantamweight title shot has been granted to the fighter yet, but Sterling is confident UFC President Dana White will grant him one.
?Honestly, I don?t know what Dana?s waiting for,? Sterling told The Schmo (via Jed Meshew of MMA Fighting). ?I don?t know if I pissed in his Cheerios or something, talked to his ex-girlfriend, I have no idea. But, Dana knows the fight to make and I think he?s gonna do the right thing. I think he had to just get over the jet lag from Abu Dhabi. Maybe he forgot how great the performance was and how quick it was, so it?s hard to remember, but I?ve got the camera, I?ve got the film, and he said I was the next guy.?
The current UFC bantamweight champion is Petr Yan, who defeated former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo to win the title at UFC 251.
Sterling also believes that Yan is an honorable fighter who will take the fight with him instead of a clown fight.
?Yan?s a pretty smart guy,? Sterling said. ?He?s intelligent and I think he?s honorable in terms of the fight game and fighting No. 1 contenders and not looking for these clown fights. I think that?s what builds your legacy, not jumping around and trying to fight the guy who is not even ranked or not on a win streak. I want to fight the best guys, he wants to fight the best guys, and obviously you see the banter we have going back and forth for almost a year now. I?m still coming for that ass, Pete.?