Aljamain Sterling is getting married right after Merab Dvalishvili’s next title defense.
Before Georgian teammate Dvalishvili made it to the throne in 2024, Aljamain Sterling was the reigning, defending UFC Bantamweight Champion of the world.
Sterling and Dvalishvili never fought each other in the UFC, instead preserving their friendship. Sterling packed up his bags and moved to the featherweight division after a title loss to Sean O’Malley in 2023—which Dvalishvili avenged twice over in title fight wins.
Former champ Sterling is set to return against former title challenger Brian Ortega in the co-main event of UFC Shanghai on Aug. 23.
Along with his fight, Sterling has his wedding date set for Oct. 5, the day after Dvalishvili defends his title against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320 in Las Vegas.
Sterling has invited a number of UFC fighters to the ceremony, including his biggest rival.
Aljamain Sterling invited former foe Petr Yan to his wedding
Sterling, one of the greatest bantamweights of all time, has only fought one rematch in his entire career and that was against Petr Yan.
The former two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion was on his way to defeating Sterling in their first fight at UFC 259 in 2021, but everything changed when Yan threw an illegal knee at a grounded Sterling, disqualifying him after Sterling was unable to continue.
Sterling is the only fighter in UFC history to win the title via disqualification.
Months later and an interim title created in his absence, Sterling redeemed himself in a title unification bout against Yan, defeating him in a close split decision at UFC 273 in a 2022 rematch.
Despite their history in the Octagon, Sterling invited the recently victorious Yan to his upcoming wedding.
“I said, brother, come to the wedding,” Sterling confirmed on his YouTube channel.
“He said, if I’m in the states, I will come,” Sterling said of Yan.
Yan will likely be in Las Vegas at UFC 320, especially if he’s chosen as the back-up fighter for Dvalishvili vs. Sandhagen.
Aljamain Sterling to invite Dana White, UFC matchmakers to wedding
Sterling’s two-time rival Yan isn’t the only fighter on the wedding guest list.
The former champion says his ceremony is starting to feel like a UFC event with the people he’s inviting.
“We got Al Iaquinta, possibly Mike Perry, maybe Chris Weidman,” Sterling said.
“I think Jamahal Hill’s pulling up. We got Ode [Osbourne] coming through. We got Naz [Nazim Sadykhov]. We got Charlie Campbell…
“It’s just gonna be a big a– UFC event at this point,” Sterling continued.
“We’re gonna invite the matchmakers. I’m gonna invite Hunter Campbell. I’m gonna invite Dana White. Hopefully Dana puts it on his tab and then, we just go crazy for the night…
“This is some movie s—,” Sterling said of his wedding taking place the day after Dvalishvili’s title defense.