There are so many great elements to mixed martial arts that I feel like I’m coming up with a new one after every event. So for this week’s installment, let’s look at the fighter who steps up for the biggest fight of his career and delivers his best performance to date. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mr. Aljamain Sterling. As the number two ranked bantamweight in the world, we already knew the “Funk Master” was good, but with a title shot hanging in the balance, it would have been easy for him (or anyone else in that position) to take his foot off the gas, play it safe, or come up with a less than stellar performance. Hey, pressure does that to some folks. But against Cory Sandhagen, Sterling was there to not just win, but to make a statement, and he did just that, defeating a top-level opponent in less than 90 seconds. Now that’s stepping up when it matters.
