Aljaman Sterling isn’t the only Sterling family fight this Saturday as his brother Kelvin Sterling returns to MMA competition.
His third pro MMA match is set as Sterling, 35, faces the debut of Profighter Rodrigo Brauna at LFA 204 at Foxwood Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. UFC Fight Pass event stream.
Sterling ran 7-4 following 11 amateur runs and fought a quick non-contest following an accidental eye thrust in May 2022. Sterling was booked for the CFFC against Keron Reed and made a decision in a recent match three months later.
So why is it the right time to go back now?
“Time is evading us all,” Kelvin told MMA Fighting. “I’m not waiting for time. I always feel ready. When I trained in sports for about three months, I had my first amateur fight. I wasn’t the type to move away from the fight.”
Sterling vividly remembers the loss. He had heavy weight in the bantamweight (the same division that his brother Al Hamaine captured UFC Gold, and the same division that left because the weight cuts were too big.
Kelvin had to realize that it was a little too late as he spoke about the day and moment before his only professional loss.
“I threw so much blood and called one of my teammates. “Then he said, ‘What do you mean?’ And we went to the bathroom and I started throwing more blood.
“After throwing that much, I was either not hydrated or I went out there and tried to smash it out, but it didn’t work that well.”
Aljamain agreed to a learning experience and a char-up that to match the finer points of the lost fight game, winning outside the cage.
“I really think it’s just inexperienced,” Aljaman said of Kelvin. “He has never wrestled like me and my other siblings, so learning how to lose weight the right way is I think he was just in the wrong weight class.
“Down to 135 and learn the experience, how to lose weight, how to cut the right way, he’s finally just starting to eat pasta. It’s hilarious. Yes, you make it a little more difficult, so when the cage fighter is not appearing, I don’t think you really imagine it in the training room. Come back to see how he works in this weight class, don’t cut the weight that much, feel like you’re in the training room and see how this performance will turn out.”
After a long layoff, with a lot of weight, which is a thing of the past, Sterling is ready to prove that his hype from Serra-Longo Camp is justified, and everything unfolds alongside Aljamain.
“(The headline): “Kelvin gets a bowl of food and gains weight and gets a ‘W’,” predicts Kelvin. “Hopefully I’ll get my first finish, but don’t be greedy, just get out there, be safe and take care of the business.”
“Domination is the theme of this weekend,” replied Aljaman.
“Yes,” Kelvin said in agreement.