Aljamain Sterling, the former bantamweight champion of the UFC, has expressed interest in competing against Josh Emmett at UFC 296 on December 16.
Emmett was left without an opponent on December 5 as Giga Chikadze was forced to withdraw from the fight due to a torn groin. He made contact with the other fighters on the roster as the sixth-ranked contender in the featherweight class.
A serious blow was just dealt to UFC 296 as Giga Chikadze withdrew from his match against Josh Emmett citing an ailment. During the final UFC pay-per-view of the year, Aljamain Sterling, the former bantamweight champion, hinted to a potential move to featherweight. However, Chikadze immediately had an intriguing suggestion for Emmett.
Why Is UFC 296 Important For Josh Emett
In the UFC, Josh Emmett hasn’t exactly had the best year. In 2023, he was defeated by Ilia Topuria and Yair Rodriguez in both of his fights. At UFC 296 he was looking to resume his winning ways when Giga Chikadze withdrew due to an injury. On December 16, a different competitor surfaced and suggested increasing to 145 pounds.
It’s not as well-known as Sterling’s criticism of Max Holloway, but it’s still important. Emmett’s ranking and Sterling’s prior championship status mean that a victory in this bout would have him well-positioned to challenge for the title.
Aljamain Sterling recently shared a tweet, hinting that he might go up to fight in the 145lbs division at UFC 296. He wrote, “I just weighed out at 166.6 lbs. #Just Saying #FeatherweightFunk.” This means that we can see Josh Emmett fight the former champion on December 16th.
In February 2024, the featherweight title will be contested in the main event of UFC 297. In a contest that might completely change the division, youthful, motivated Ilia Topuria will challenge Alexander Volkanovski to defend his throne.
Sterling will undoubtedly leave his mark on UFC history if he can defeat Emmett and the victor of Volkanovski vs. Topuria to earn the featherweight title.
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