Aljamain Sterling reveals pre-fight drinking habits to Joe Rogan

Aljamain Sterling has revealed that he consumes alcohol during his training camps and even the night before he competes in the Octagon. Speaking during a nearly three-hour appearance on the Joe Rogan podcast, the former UFC bantamweight champion admitted to his drinking habits.

Sterling stated that he typically has one or two glasses of alcohol the night before a fight, noting that three glasses would be excessive. He compared himself to Jon Jones, suggesting that while he is built differently, he is not the same as Jones. Sterling argued that if a loss occurs due to a single drink, he was not meant to win the fight.

Joe Rogan expressed shock at the revelation and questioned why Sterling would choose to drink the night before a match. Rogan suggested that avoiding alcohol could lead to better REM sleep, which might provide the marginal physical advantages needed to secure a win, such as an extra transition or a submission attempt during a close fight.

Sterling dismissed these concerns, stating that he uses naps before his fights to recharge. The conversation eventually shifted from Rogan's attempts to convince Sterling to change his habits toward the importance of personal happiness.

This discussion follows the recent UFC 329 main event where Conor McGregor was stopped by Max Holloway via TKO in 69 seconds. Rogan is scheduled to return to commentary duties for UFC 330 this Saturday, where Islam Makhachev will face Ian Machado Garry. He will be joined on the broadcast by Daniel Cormier and Jon Anik, alongside a team including Megan Olivi, Chris Weidman, Paul Felder, and Kate Scott.