As the new UFC bantamweight champion. Aljamain Sterling is already finding himself as a target for challengers – one of which is a former titleholder themselves.

Capturing the title at UFC 259 via disqualification after Petr Yan landed an illegal knee, Sterling and the Russian former champ are expected to run things back as soon as possible. However, the man to hold the title prior to Yan, Henry Cejudo, appears to be seriously teasing a return to action.

So much so that he and Sterling had a brief encounter during fight week.

Aljamain Sterling addresses the face-off photo with Henry Cejudo after bumping into him in a Vegas hotel.

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“We were at the hotel and I walk over and go, ‘Well, well, well, well, well… If it isn’t the shit talker himself,’ Aljamain Sterling told TheMacLife. “Then we talked and I said, ‘Listen, man. I know your schtick. I understand you.’ That’s why when he said everything I just wrote ‘cool.’ Cause I don’t even have the mental energy because of everything I’m dealing with right now to even give you a real response and entertain you.

“For some reason, he’s like herpes, man. That guy manages just to pop his head out of everywhere. He goes away then somehow he just shows up at the wrong time all the time. Just like at the hotel when I saw him at the hotel. Like this guy just always pops up out of nowhere, ya know? So that’s an interesting one. I do think after we do this rematch, that may be potentially in the works.”

Aljamain Sterling’s win over Yan extended his current streak to six straight whereas Yan suffered his first defeat in the UFC. Cejudo, on the other hand, announced his retirement directly following his second-round TKO of Dominick Cruz in May 2020 at UFC 249. Ever since, “Triple C” has teased a possible return as he’s expressed interest in facing current featherweight champ, Alexander Volkanovski.