Add another title fight to UFC 280, as a bout between bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling and former champion T.J. Dillashaw is being targeted for the PPV card set for Abu Dhabi on October 22nd.
The move was first reported by Yahoo Sports.
The fight was originally set for UFC 279, but with the main event now reportedly slated to be a welterweight bout between Nate Diaz and Khamzat Chimaev, the UFC opted to move the title fight. Sterling had also balked at the match-up originally, suggesting that the fight was not official, and saying he was looking to earn a bigger payday for his latest title defense.
It appears the matter has been settled, however. Sterling (21-3) will defend his title for the second time against a former champion. “Aljo,” a.k.a. “The Funkmaster,” is coming off a split decision win over Petr Yan at UFC 273.
The win put to rest the feud between the two which arose when Sterling captured the belt by DQ last year.
Dillashaw (17-4) last fought in July 2021 when he earned a split decision win over Cory Sandhagen.
The other fight set for UFC 280 puts the vacant lightweight title on the line between former champion Charles Oliveira and #4 ranked Islam Makhachev in the main event.
