A native of New York, bantamweight title contender Aljamain Sterling wanted to make a statement in the Octagon during his match against Cory Sandhagen Saturday night at UFC 250 in Las Vegas.
Sterling did just that, submitting Sandhagen in less than two minutes of Round 1. It was a stunning scene at the Apex in Vegas. It also sets Sterling up for a potential title bout moving forward.
Following his win, the 30-year-old Sterling used his platform to speak out against the racial injustice and police brutality impacting the United States. It comes on the heels of the murder of George Floyd at the hands of a then-Minneapolis police officer last week.
Sterling’s words were as passionate as they were on the mark.
Talk about raw emotion. Sterling talked about how he supports the protests going on around the United States. He also said that this is for everyone protesting back home.
In addition to the current racial issues and injustice in America, Sterling’s native New York has been the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the world. He touched on that, too.