Aljamain Sterling and Sean O’Malley had a tense moment at UFC 288 when they nearly got into a fight over a jacket. Sterling used his platform to throw some verbal jabs at O’Malley, referring to him and predicting that he will easily defeat him in a fight due to his superior takedown skills and pressure forward strategy.

O’Malley had declined a title shot and pitched an interim title fight with Henry Cejudo, a decision that Sterling called out as lacking in motivation and drive. Sterling went on to triumph over Cejudo in a closely contested match, while O’Malley continued to rise in the ranks with key victories and a fan-friendly persona. Despite his confidence in his abilities, Sterling admits that anything can happen in a fist fight and that he has been humbled by the sport before.