Aljamain Sterling is putting in work ahead of his UFC 280 bantamweight title defense against former champion TJ Dillashaw, which takes place this Sat. (Oct. 22, 2022) in the “Oliveira vs. Makhachev” co-main event from Etihad Arena on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi.
And “Funk Master” got a little unexpected inspiration in the process.
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LIVE! Watch UFC 280 PPV On ESPN+ Here!
BLOCKBUSTER LIGHTWEIGHT SHOWDOWN! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to Etihad Arena In Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Sat., Oct. 22, 2022, featuring a highly anticipated match up for the vacant 155-pound title between former division kingpin, Charles Oliveira, against Islam Makhachev, who enter “Fight Island” with a combined 21-fight unbeaten run. In UFC 280’s ESPN+-streamed pay-per-view (PPV) co-main event, Bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling defends his title against former two-time division roost-ruler, T.J. Dillashaw. Last, and certainly not least, former 135-pound champion, Petr Yan, will lock horns with superstar in the making, “Sugar” Sean O’Malley.
“It’s cool as hell just to have [welterweight champion] Leon (Edwards) down here in the room, it was very unexpected, I didn’t even know he was gonna be here,” Sterling said on Episode 1 of the UFC 280 “Embedded” video blog. “I think the energy just feeds of each other, it’s good to have those good, positive vibes around you.”
Edwards is expected to have his own title defense at some point next March.
UFC 280 will be headlined by the lightweight title fight between former champion Charles Oliveira and streaking 155-pound contender Islam Makhachev. In addition, former bantamweight titleholder Petr Yan returns to battle 135-pound fan favorite Sean O’Malley, with the winner possibly earning first crack at the winner of Sterling vs. Dillashaw.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 280 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 10 a.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPN+/ESPNews at 12 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
For the rest of the UFC 280 fight card and PPV lineup click here.