JRE MMA Show #184 with Aljamain Sterling

What It Covers

Joe Rogan and UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling cover MMA fight analysis, weight cutting reform, fighter pay structures, training methodology, and Sterling's business ventures including Funk Harbor rum. The conversation spans Soukill's UFC performance, UFC weight class gaps, same-day weigh-in proposals, back control technique breakdowns, and the rapid skill elevation of fighters emerging from Dagestan and the Caucasus region.

Key Questions Answered

• •Weight Cutting Reform: Sterling advocates for same-day weigh-ins with a four-hour window between weigh-in and fight time, arguing fighters could eat, digest, and warm up properly. He estimates this would shift his natural fighting weight from 135 to 155 or 165 pounds, eliminating severe dehydration. He walks around at 178 pounds naturally, meaning current cuts strip roughly 43 pounds — a process he describes as depleting organs, not just muscles.
• •UFC Pay Structure Flaw: The UFC's "show and win" bonus structure — where fighters receive separate paychecks for appearing and winning — draws criticism from both Rogan and Sterling. Sterling argues no fighter at elite level deliberately holds back effort to earn a win bonus. The real harm is placing fighter income, family stability, and career trajectory at the mercy of judges who demonstrably make errors, creating unnecessary financial risk with zero performance incentive upside.
• •Training With Intent: Sterling outlines a structured training philosophy called "guided discovery," learned during his SUNY Cortland physical education degree. Rather than sparring aimlessly, fighters should enter each session with a defined mission — drilling specific defensive chains, understanding positional responses, and sparring at 70% intensity to practice techniques in real time without the chaos of full-contact exchanges destroying the learning environment.
• •Back Control Mechanics: Sterling breaks down Soukill's back control against Gamrot, identifying the key technical detail: reaching across to secure the far arm while maintaining the seatbelt grip. Sterling's own training rule, taught by coach Matt, is to protect the choke first before attempting any escape. Premature urgency — trying to create movement before securing choke defense — is the single most common reason fighters lose from back position.
• •Spinning Back Kick Mechanics: Rogan distinguishes between a spinning back kick thrown in a circular arc versus a turning side kick executed in a straight linear path. The linear version generates significantly more force because the hip, abs, and back leg all drive through a single point of contact. Rogan drilled this technique at 19, knocked an opponent airborne at the US Cup in Connecticut, and credits Jon Jones for dedicating three dedicated weekly sessions to this kick specifically before moving to heavyweight.
• •Fighter Longevity and Chin Degradation: Chuck Liddell's career arc illustrates how knockout resistance is not permanent. Liddell absorbed shots freely in his prime, but once Rampage Jackson's KO landed, his chin never recovered. Sterling draws a parallel to his own post-Marlon Moraes fight anxiety, where he avoided head sparring for three months before fighting Brett Johns. The practical takeaway: fighters should treat post-KO recovery as machine repair — non-negotiable time off, not optional rest.
• •Weight Class Structure Gap: The 185-to-205-pound gap in UFC is identified as the most problematic in the promotion. Sterling and Rogan propose weight classes every 10 pounds, with a bridger weight around 220-225 before open heavyweight. Boxing's model — with classes as close as four pounds apart in the lighter divisions — is cited as a functional reference. Sterling argues DC could have competed at middleweight with a sustained dietary lifestyle change rather than acute dehydration cuts.