Aljamain Sterling is ready to return to the Octagon, but the matchmaking process behind his next booking was very unusual.
Currently holding the No. 4 spot in the featherweight division, the former bantamweight champion is coming off a dominant five-round unanimous decision victory over Youssef Zalal in April. Now, he is officially scheduled to return in the co-main event of UFC Qatar to face Kevin Vallejos on Nov. 21 at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena in Al Rayyan.
His upcoming fight against rising contender Kevin Vallejos was booked only after the promotion gave the veteran a high-pressure deadline that left him no time to talk with his coaches.
Aljamain Sterling Explains UFC’s One-Hour Deadline
The UFC needed to announce the card immediately, and the call came while he was in the middle of training camp. Sterling said yes to stay active, reversing his earlier stance on picking opponents.
Sterling had previously stated on his YouTube channel that he refused to fight lower-ranked names, explaining, “I was offered a fight that was outside of the top 10, and I felt like it didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. I am ranked fourth in the world right now. I am 37”.
However, with the promotion rushing to finalize the card, executives gave the former champion exactly one hour to make his final decision.
“I was told I had an hour to give an answer, and I had just gotten off the mats,” Sterling said on The Ariel Helwani Show. “I didn’t even get a chance to talk to my team. … Luckily, it worked out because I did want to fight one more time before this year was up. A lot of people think I just want to sit on the sidelines. It’s not even that. There are just no matchups.”
The former champion also revealed that he turned down an alternative offer to step in against Aaron Pico. Sterling questioned what that matchup would do for his career trajectory, noting Pico’s 1-1 promotional record. In his eyes, Vallejos represents a much more logical step forward.
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Kevin Vallejos Is a High-Risk Test for Aljamain Sterling
Vallejos, a 24-year-old Argentine prospect, sits five spots below Sterling at No. 9. He holds an 18-1 overall record and a 4-0 run inside the UFC Octagon, which features consecutive, violent knockout stoppages of division veterans Giga Chikadze and Josh Emmett.
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The rising contender has already labeled the booking a “Legend vs. Prospect” striking war. Sterling embraced the challenge publicly on X, replying to the young powerhouse: “Can’t wait!”
Can’t wait! 👊🏾 https://t.co/F7NkwqVsKL
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) September 29, 2026
Vallejos has knocked out three of his four UFC opponents, and Sterling is the biggest name he has ever faced. Meanwhile, a win keeps Sterling in the title mix going into 2027. The fight card is officially headlined by a light heavyweight matchup between Jiri Prochazka and Navajo Stirling.
PHOTO CREDIT: IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire
