Aljamain Sterling calls for title eliminator with Jean Silva in December: ‘I don’t think it’s rocket science’

Aljamain Sterling is pushing for a December title eliminator against Jean Silva to determine the next featherweight challenger, arguing the timing makes tactical sense for everyone involved.

Silva impressed on Saturday at Noche UFC, knocking out Jose Miguel Delgado in the main event to extend his winning streak to two fights. Immediately afterward, Silva lobbied for a shot at the featherweight title holder, eyeing the winner of Alexander Volkanovski versus Movsar Evloev at UFC 333. Sterling, the former bantamweight champion who is also riding a two-fight winning streak, had other ideas. He first staked his own claim to a title shot, then called Silva out for a Madison Square Garden bout in November.

On second thought, Sterling believes December is the smarter window. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Sterling emphasized that he wants to face Silva at full strength following Silva's recent injuries sustained before Noche UFC. "I want you at your best," Sterling said. "Take the time, heal up, let's run this shit for December, and we do this and see who is the clear-cut No. 1 contender."

Sterling also flagged a practical concern: if Evloev wins, Ramadan will limit his availability, potentially freezing the division. A December Sterling-Silva winner, by contrast, would provide immediate clarity on the next title challenger and keep the featherweight title picture moving. Sterling added that he respects the sport enough to avoid fighting just for the sake of it at age 37. "I'm gonna be fair; I'm gonna do the right thing," he said.

While Silva has not explicitly accepted Sterling's proposal, he has not rejected it either, instead trading trash talk in response to Sterling's initial callout. Silva cited multiple injuries from his camp that require healing time. Sterling, for his part, remains confident that when they do meet, his style will prove to be the ultimate equalizer against Silva's power-driven approach.