UFC champ Aljamain Sterling says he feels like 'the red-headed stepchild of the UFC'

• Aljamain Sterling does not feel like he gets as big a promotional push as others in the UFC.
• It makes him feel like "the red-headed stepchild of the UFC," he told The MMA Hour.

Aljamain Sterling does not feel like he gets as big a promotional push from the UFC as other athletes in the Las Vegas-based fight firm's roster.

The 33-year-old is the UFC's current bantamweight champion, a former Cage Fury Fighting Championship title-winner, and is widely regarded as one of the best male fighters in the sport.

But, when speaking to Ariel Helwani on MMA Fighting's show The MMA Hour, he said he feels like "the red-headed stepchild of the UFC."

He said: "It's not with everybody in the UFC. Certain people that probably matter the most. I guess it's not always the best feeling to be on that side, but I roll with the punches.

"I'm going to do me, no matter what. But I just don't feel like I get the push like maybe some others do. Or maybe I'm just in my own head."

The UFC would say this is not the case, Sterling said, but he implied that he cannot help the way he feels.

"I don't think any of us know what they're actually thinking, in terms of the upper echelons of the UFC, and the only thing you can try to hope for is that they like you and you're in their good graces.

"That's really all there is to it. Do your job, hopefully you do it well, and hopefully you get rewarded handsomely for it."

Sterling has been competing in the UFC since a 2014 decision win over Cody Gibson, which extended his then-undefeated pro MMA record to nine wins. Since then, he's beaten Cody Stamann, Cory Sandhagen, and Petr Yan twice.

The victories over Yan have polarized people in the industry, media, and fans.

His first triumph over Yan was a result of an illegal knee that the Russian threw, thereby disqualifying his opponent. In the rematch, UFC boss Dana White accused the judges of blowing it.

At the post-fight press conference earlier this year in April, White told reporters: "I thought that the judges blew that one."

Sterling wants to work on his relationship with the UFC

Speaking on The MMA Hour show, Sterling said he's "trying" to work on his relationship with the UFC and its most powerful decision-makers.

"I've been trying," he said. "I know the guys are busy and the world doesn't just stop for me, but hopefully we get things figured out and kind of figure out the working relationship.

"I want to help them make money," he said. "I want them to help me make money, and I think that's the best way you can look at a relationship like that."