Sterling initially bristled at the idea of hustling right back into training camp to face O’Malley just 15 weeks after dispensing with “Triple C,” but it wasn’t because he was looking for time away, even though he’s earned it after three title fights in 13 months.
“The main thing for me was making sure I’m going to be healed up and can go through a proper training camp,” explained Sterling, who dealt with swelling in his legs following his last outing. “People want to make it sound like I wanted a vacation, but it’s not about that.
“I asked for a month longer, but with the way the rest of the cards are planned out, this was the best scenario for me, so it was about changing the mindset and getting the body as close to 100 percent as I possible could, and then ship out to Boston.”
Watch All Free Fights For UFC 292: Sterling vs O’Malley
While he and O’Malley have been bickering with one another every chance they get, the champion swears he doesn’t have any real animosity with the man he’ll share the Octagon with this weekend — it’s more that after taking the long, difficult road to the top of the division, he finds the less daunting path O’Malley has traveled to reach this point a little suspect.
“I don’t have a dire animosity against the guy, but there is something to be said about someone that has had everything handed to him,” began Sterling. “I can’t name two people who are in the UFC that he’s beaten. There’s Petr Yan, and even watching that fight, I go back-and-forth on who I thought won.
“I see “Mr. Fructose” as a formidable opponent. He’s got real skills; I can’t deny that,” continued the champion. “He’s got good footwork, it seems like he’s athletic. He’s pretty scrawny — he doesn’t seem very muscular at all and I would imagine that he doesn’t have a ton of strength, but he’s going to have good leverage.
“But all those gifts that he’s gotten to get here are no longer available — he’s cashed them all in, all those favors, and now he’s going to have to face the music when he steps in there with me on August 19.”
