Aljamain Sterling and Cody Stamann Official for UFC 228

Aljamain Sterling and Cody Stamann will have an opportunity to settle their differences at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas at UFC 228.

After engaging in a Twitter beef for months, the time for talking…or typing will soon come to an end, somewhat unexpectedly, as only two months ago, Sterling insisted that he had no interest in facing Stamann:

“As far as I can see, (Cody Stamann) is a tool,” Sterling said. “I have no interest in fighting a guy who’s just 3-0 with two split decision wins, which I think the majority of fans thought should have gone the other way.”

And the disinterest was mutual, as Stamann also stated that there was nothing in it for him to accept a fight against Sterling:

“Coming off my last fight against (Bryan) Caraway, I wasn’t like, ‘I want to fight Aljamain Sterling,’” Stamann said. “Everyone was like, ‘Bryan Caraway doesn’t win big fights,’ and I still got that kind of backlash, like, you’re still not legit.

“If I fight Aljamain Sterling, I’m going to get the exact same thing. People are going to tell me the same shit.

“If Sterling’s the only guy, whatever,” Cody Stamann.

Either Stamann has since had a change of heart or Sterling was the only guy available to face him at UFC 228. Aljamain Sterling has also demonstrated that he would only face Stamann if no one else is available. Prior to the Brett Johns fight, Sterling was offered to face Stamann but opted to face Johns instead, who Sterling deemed to be a more intriguing and challenging fight:

“I took the harder fight, the guy who everyone thought would be the next guy to move up in the division,” he said. “I think (Stamann) needs to do his part and fight another couple guys."

Regardless of what caused the about face for both parties, their tones have changed in the weeks since the above quotes. And for Sterling, who said Stamann “can take that 17-1 record and actually fight someone tough,” he will now have an opportunity to show Stamann that he is at a different level, while Stamann will have a chance to boost his record up to 18-1 at the expense of The Funkmaster.