Aljamain Sterling vs Brian Ortega Fight Prediction

Former champion Aljamain Sterling continues his journey in the featherweight division and will face Brian Ortega in the co-main event at UFC Fight Night 257 on August 23. Both are coming off losses, but it’s still a great chance for “The Funk Master” to crack the Top 5 as the former challenger remains an elite contender.

• Aljamain Sterling vs Brian Ortega;
• Aljamain Sterling;
• Brian Ortega;
• Comparative analysis;
• Game Totals Prediction.

Aljamain Sterling vs Brian Ortega

Aljamain Sterling

Sterling is ranked No. 7. Aljo previously fought in the NCAA Division III and is now a black belt BJJ fighter and former champion.

In his last fights, bets on his victory did not come through twice – O'Malley and Evloev are to blame for this, while neither Dillashaw, nor Cejudo, nor Kattar were able to defeat him.

Strengths

Sterling fights at a good pace, 3 rounds is the ideal distance for him, and given the pressure he creates, how he uses kicks and his "wrestling boxing", he is able to cope with fighters of different styles. On the ground, to the attacks of his opponent, he is ready to offer both strikes and techniques.

Weaknesses

In the case of Aljamain, there are not many reasons to cling to something. Yes, he has a number of problems with building a defense when he attacks with combinations, plus even a basic boxer, Yan, knocked him down. However, the American is still improving his technique, and his plans to enter the title fight look promising.

The current form and readiness of the fighter

"Funk Master" is already 36 years old, but his transition to 66 kg has opened up a second youth for him, even if he has not yet been able to fully adapt to the specifics of performing in this division. Rest since December last year, participation in reality shows - all this helped him reboot, so we expect excellent conditions from Aldzho.

Brian Ortega

"T-City" is ranked 4th. He is a high-class jiu-jitsu fighter who returned after a career break with good boxing in his arsenal. However, the guy is doing so-so: three losses in five fights, even though he fought with champions or representatives of the Top-3.

Last September he gave in to Diego Lopez, taking another break. Let's see if it leads to anything.

Strengths

Ortega has his own signature move – the guillotine, which he uses from any position. Recently, kicks and good boxing skills have expanded his arsenal, and this is not counting his vast experience, which cannot be replaced by anything.

Weaknesses

Bryan has difficulties in fights with pressing opponents, he doesn't use wrestling for counterattacks very often, flying into the body to stop his opponent's combo. And in general, the question of defense was here and, apparently, will be in the future.

The current form and readiness of the fighter

The athlete is 34 years old, he has been out of fights for almost 12 months, but for him it is quite normal. In general, Ortega is a versatile fighter, but something prevents him from using his entire arsenal. It feels like we are talking about the lack of former aggression, the desire to get to the title. Let's see if this will change in the upcoming fight.

Comparative analysis

Aljamain has the reach, but he will be shorter than Bryan. Looking at how Lopez acted in the last fight with Ortega, there is every reason to believe that Sterling also has a good chance to put pressure on him, especially with overhands, and then punch him out. The "Funk Master" has good submission defense, so there is no reason not to try wrestling at least occasionally.

Bryan would actually be smarter to work with Aljo at a distance, he has an excellent jab, and he also has front kicks to stop his opponent's attacks. But the ex-champion is mobile and fast, which he will have to deal with for the entire 15 minutes, and Ortega sometimes likes to stagnate, taking unnecessary blows.

Will Bryan choose a similar strategy? Even if he does, competing with Aljamain in brute force, clinches, and on the ground, with so many options available to him, is a tall order. And if the T-City strike doesn't work and the guillotine doesn't work, what's he supposed to do?

Aljamain Sterling vs Brian Ortega Prediction

With all due respect to Ortega's skills, right now he doesn't look like the one who will stop Sterling with 100% probability. Yes, maybe the tactics like with the same Yair will work and Aljo will leave the cage with a broken face and ambitions. However, the latter has more options for victory, so leaning towards his success is the right decision. At the same time, Bryan's durability should be enough to work until the decision. Install the 1xbet app and place a bet on the favorite!

Prediction: Aljamain Sterling win/Total Over (2.5) by rounds