Aljamain Sterling believes he’s still chasing Dominick Cruz as the bantamweight GOAT even with a win over Henry Cejudo at UFC 288

Aljamain Sterling thinks Dominick Cruz is still the bantamweight GOAT.

Sterling is looking for his third title defense – which would set the record – in the main event of UFC 288 as he takes on the former champ, Henry Cejudo. Even if Sterling wins and sets the record for most title defenses, he still doesn’t think he would pass Cruz as the bantamweight GOAT but is even honored to be in the discussion.

“It’s really cool (to be considered among the greats),” Sterling said at UFC 288 media day (h/t MMAJunkie). “I had a couple of goals coming into the UFC. Obviously one was to become a UFC champion, and we were able to do that and defend a couple of times. Getting into this sport was about changing my life, traveling the world and getting to meet new people. I was able to do a lot of that. …

“I feel like I already won. Whether or not people want to include me in that conversation, that’s cool,” Sterling continued. “It’s nice to see that I’m in that conversation, but at the end of the day, I have to win for anything like that to be a serious conversation. I still look at Dominick (Cruz), and I think we’re all chasing his record.”

Aljamain Sterling is currently -105 as the oddsmakers have a slight lean toward Henry Cejudo winning at UFC 288. Yet, Sterling has been clear he is confident he will defeat Cejudo and set the UFC’s bantamweight record for most title defenses.

Sterling enters his third attempt at defending his title coming off a TKO win over TJ Dillashaw back in October. Prior to that, he scored a split decision win over Petr Yan in the rematch after winning the belt over Yan by DQ.

Do you think Aljamain Sterling could become the bantamweight GOAT with a win at UFC 288?