Kevin Vallejos Sends Sterling a Wrestling Warning Ahead of UFC Qatar

Kevin Vallejos Sends Sterling a Wrestling Warning Ahead of UFC Qatar

Kevin Vallejos has sent a clear message to Aljamain Sterling ahead of their scheduled UFC Qatar showdown on November 21, challenging the former champion to prepare for a wrestling-heavy contest. Vallejos issued the warning after Petr Yan’s victory over Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi, using the event to renew attention on his upcoming featherweight clash.

“Sterling, be ready to wrestle on November 21st, because I’m coming for my title shot,” Vallejos wrote on X. The Argentine also compared his demanding training camp with Sterling’s commitments to cornering teammates abroad, although his remarks do not independently establish that Sterling has neglected his preparation.

The bout is scheduled to serve as the co-main event at UFC Qatar in Doha, with Sterling ranked fourth and Vallejos ninth in the featherweight division, according to the promotion’s announcement. Vallejos enters the contest on a seven-fight winning streak and has won all four of his UFC appearances, including knockout victories over Giga Chikadze and Josh Emmett. Sterling, a former bantamweight champion, brings championship experience and a recent unanimous-decision victory over Youssef Zalal. Vallejos has also expressed interest in challenging featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, making the November encounter a potentially important step towards his title ambitions.