Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling caused a stir on social media with his creative submission defence during a grappling match.
Headlining Fury Pro Grappling 8 on UFC Fight Pass, Sterling squared off with Kevin Dantzler, who, as MMA Junkie reported, is a “Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who is 5-0 under the FURY Pro Grappling banner.”
It was the former UFC champion’s defence of an armbar that drew comments online, with Sterling picking Dantzler up and spinning him around four times before dropping his opponent to the canvas and dancing.
Can Aljamain Sterling be on every Fury Pro card???#FuryPRO8 pic.twitter.com/q938QzMQzj
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) December 31, 2023
“Dantzler, he is a guy who trains year-round, full-time in jiu jitsu. It’s a great way to jump back in the mix and see where I am in terms of my grappling. I get into the athletic nerves, the competition, and I get to see how good I really am,” Sterling said, Sports Illustrated reported.
The bout, contested at 160 lbs., wasn’t quite to Sterling’s liking however, with Dantzler butt-scooting along the mat in a display rarely seen in mixed martial arts but more common in the grappling world.
Butt scooters beware. Aljamain Sterling doesn't take too kindly to your gameplan#FuryPRO8 pic.twitter.com/bVX8YZuIfs
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) December 31, 2023
After losing the match by decision, Sterling lamented the judges’ scoring.
“Another man can’t drag his ass cheeks on the mat and think that’s a win, doing absolutely nothing,” the former UFC champ said.
The match comes to an end and the former UFC champ is less than impressed#FuryPRO8 pic.twitter.com/tGNhgNtU2t
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) December 31, 2023
He continued:
I guarantee you if that was a street fight, my man would never do that sh*t. So why are we turning this sport into some type of weird spectacle where you can win a match off of your back doing absolutely nothing? If I did nothing, what the f*ck did he do? I wanted to have match, I told you guys beforehand, I’m trying to get in his head a little bit, maybe he’ll engage. Pull guard from standing up, don’t just start the match on your butt. That should be a point deducted right out the gate — am I wrong? Never let another man drag you by your ankles in front of your loved ones and friends, because that is a disgrace.
Dantzler, who moves to 6-0 in the grappling world, said it takes two willing competitors.
“If someone doesn’t want to roll with you, it’s hard to get something poppin’,” he said after the fight. “I almost had the armbar, I almost had the triangle, what did he have? Grabbing my foot and spinning me around the mat? That’s not jiu-jitsu, that’s just being silly.”
Kevin Dantzler very unapologetic after the W#FuryPRO8 pic.twitter.com/V4A0rBV014
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) December 31, 2023
Sterling responded to those saying Dantzler nearly had him with the armbar, suggesting he was never in danger and was merely having fun with his defensive approach.
It’s just more funny that his backers actually think this attempt had any real “danger”. I smiled inside and said let’s defend an entertaining way and show how unbothered I was by that. It is what it is https://t.co/ZO6F2ReahP
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) December 31, 2023
Sterling will return to grappling against Chase Hooper in January before he makes his anticipated move to the UFC’s featherweight division, where he will face off against Calvin Kattar at UFC 300.
