Aljamain Sterling Rips Into UFC’s Latest Matchmaking Strategy For Skipping Top Contenders: ‘This Sh*t Is Beyond Frustrating’
Aljamain Sterling is downright furious with the way the UFC has been putting together its recent matchups. On Thursday, UFC CEO Dana White announced a slate of matchups for the promotion’s first two numbered events of 2026, which are set to launch the UFC’s landmark broadcast partnership with the Paramount network.
UFC 324, scheduled for January 24, 2026, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, will open the organization’s yearly event calendar. The card will be headlined by an interim lightweight title clash between No. 4-ranked Justin Gaethje and No. 5 Paddy Pimblett, a matchup made after reigning champion Ilia Topuria took a hiatus from competition to focus on personal matters.
Meanwhile, in the co-main event, women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison meets former two-division titleholder Amanda Nunes in one of the most anticipated matchups in recent history.
In the same announcement wave, White also revealed details for UFC 325, the next numbered event scheduled just one week after UFC 324. The MMA promotion will return to Sydney Olympic Park in New South Wales, Australia, on January 31. The card will be headlined by a featherweight title rematch between reigning champion Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes.
The latest matchup announcements sparked significant backlash from fans and MMA analysts, with prominent criticism led by journalist Ariel Helwani. In a series of tweets, Helwani argued that the UFC’s recent fight selections have sidelined higher-ranked contenders, opting instead for less compelling alternatives.
The Canadian reporter highlighted the pairing of Gaethje vs. Pimblett for overlooking No. 1 contender Arman Tsarukyan, and the 145-pound title rematch of Volkanovski vs. Lopes for bypassing unbeaten contenders Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy, who were waiting in line for their own title opportunities.
Helwani also contended that the Harrison-Nunes bout deserved the UFC 324 headliner slot, citing its stature and significance, while also casting doubt on several other potential fights currently being discussed.
Aljamain Sterling Unloads on UFC After Contender-Snubbing Title Fights Were Announced
Ariel Helwani’s stance on the UFC’s matchmaking has resonated across the fight community, and Aljamain Sterling amplified that same sentiment on social media. The former bantamweight champion publicly challenged the promotion’s strategy, calling out the increasing trend of favoring star appeal and big narratives while top-ranked contenders are repeatedly bypassed.
Aljamain Sterling also challenged the UFC’s repeated assertion that it delivers the best fights fans want, making it clear he no longer believes that claim reflects reality.
“It’s 110% not what it used to be. I ride for the company, but this sh*t is beyond frustrating! I get their POV, but stop saying we give the fans the fights that they want to see, and we make the BEST fight the BEST! It’s way more frequent now and extremely hard to ignore. Especially in your weight class,” Aljamain Sterling wrote on X.
