'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling recently reacted to the new set of champions in the UFC today. Popular MMA publication MMA UNCENSORED uploaded a tweet to show the culturally diverse champions on the roster.
Save for Merab Dvalishvili, Ilia Topuria, Raquel Pennington, and Jon Jones, no two UFC champions have the same nationality at the moment. That's nine different nationalities ruling the UFC's roster. This might be the first time this happened in UFC history.
Here's the post:
Aljamain Sterling retweeted the post with the caption:
"Multicultural champs!"
Aljamain Sterling defends Belal Muhammad's nationality from a fan, provides lesson in US history
With virtually anything you say - no matter how positive or well-meaning - can be up for criticism once it's on the internet, Sterling's tweet received some pushback from a fan. It's not towards 'Funk Master', however, as it's directed towards UFC welterweight champ Belal 'Remember the Name' Muhammad.
The Chicago native was born and raised in the Windy City to Palestinian parents. Muhammad is quite transparent and proud of his heritage. Still, X user @MurkyMorals said:
"Ain’t Belal [Muhammad] from Chicago? He claiming Palestine now because it’s trendy? Kinda weird."
Aljamain Sterling stood his ground and attempted to educate the user in a reply:
"He has parents bro. Just because you’re born here in the states, doesn’t make your heritage and roots go away. Why do ppl do this as if this whole country wasn’t invaded by Europeans and taken land from Native Americans. We are all immigrants."
Sterling himself, despite being born and raised in New York State has Jamaican parents. Like Muhammad, he proudly wears his native country's colors every time he enters the cage.
At the moment, Sterling is nursing an injury he suffered in preparation for his fight with Movsar Evloev at UFC 307 on Oct. 5, effectively pulling him out of the fight. It's unknown whether Evloev will get a replacement opponent or have the fight scrapped altogether.
