ABU DHABI – Aljamain Sterling and T.J. Dillashaw made weight ahead of their UFC 280 bantamweight title showdown.
Reigning champion Sterling (21-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) will attempt to make his second consecutive title defense when he meets former two-time titleholder Dillashaw (17-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) in Saturday’s co-main event at Etihad Arena on Yas Island and airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNNews and ESPN+.
Both men hit the mark at official weigh-ins, which took place at the UFC host hotel. Sterling stepped on the scale at 135 pounds, while Dillashaw registered at 135 pounds.
Watch the video of Sterling and Dillashaw making weight for UFC 280 above.
Sterling, No. 1 in the latest USA Today Sports/MMA Junkie bantamweight rankings, was awarded the title in controversial fashion at UFC 259 in March 2021 when Petr Yan hit him with an illegal knee that forced the fight to be stopped by disqualification. The pair had a rematch 11 months later, and Sterling came out with a split decision over Yan for his first defense.
No. 3-ranked Dillashaw, meanwhile, will attempt the rare feat of three title reigns in a single weight class. His previous title run was ended in January 2019 when he tested positive for an illegal substance and was stripped of his title. He returned from a two-year suspension in July 2021 and beat Cory Sandhagen by split decision to earn the opportunity to regain the strap.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 280.
