Ex-UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling is set to participate in a grappling match against Nathaniel Wood at the upcoming Polaris 25 event in Wales, following his title loss to Sean O’Malley.
Former UFC bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling, is coming back into action for a grappling match against Nathaniel Wood at the upcoming Polaris 25 event, which is due to take place in Wales on Sept. 30. The supermatch between Sterling and Wood was announced by Polaris officials on Friday and is slated to air on UFC Fight Pass.
The grappling challenge comes shortly after Sterling handed over his title to Sean O’Malley at UFC 292. The match-up that took place a few weeks ago in Boston concluded Sterling’s term as the bantamweight champion, a title he had valiantly defended three times. His three successive defenses set a record in the UFC for the 135-pound category.
As for his grappling prowess, Sterling was a double recipient of the Division III All-American wrestling title. In addition to this, he holds a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, awarded by former UFC champion Matt Serra. Sterling now gears up to pit his grappling skills against Wood. Wood himself began his Brazilian jiu-jitsu journey as a teenager before making his way into MMA. He has an impressive record of a three-fight winning streak in the UFC, since moving up to the weight category of 145 pounds, having earlier competed in the bantamweight division. The Sterling vs. Wood contest is part of the highly-anticipated Polaris 25 fight card, which will also play host to an openweight grand prix tournament on that same night.