MMA News Today: Aljamain Sterling Gets New Opponent For Combat Sports Return, Marvin Vettori Blocks Fan Who Trolled Italian Food, & More

Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For September 19, 2023, we’re taking a look at:

• Aljamain Sterling Gets Opponent For Combat Sports Return
• Marvin Vettori Blocks Fan On X Who Trolled Italian Food
• Ciryl Gane Reiterates Reluctance To Fight Tom Aspinall Next, Explains Why It ‘Doesn’t Make Sense’

Aljamain Sterling Gets Opponent For Combat Sports Return

Announced just over ten days ago, Aljamain Sterling is set to return to competition one month on from his loss to Sean O’Malley at UFC 293.

Competing in submission grappling at Polaris, the “Funkmaster” was set to meet UFC featherweight contender Nathaniel Wood in Wales on September 30.

Unfortunately, Wood has pulled out of the contest so Sterling will now face Mike Grundy on twelve days notice.

Grundy is a former UFC featherweight who had four fights in the promotion and is most well known for his wrestling background that has seen him compete at several European and commonwealth games.

He has also lent his wrestling pedigree to Team Kaobon in Liverpool, the gym that has helped produce the likes of Tom Aspinall, Darren Till and Caolan Loughran.

12 days notice we are good to go 🤼‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/5LhAFOwp0i

— Mike Grundy (@MGWRESTLING) September 18, 2023

Marvin Vettori Blocks Fan On X Who Trolled Italian Food

Marvin Vettori does not play games when it comes to Italian food and he won’t tolerate people making jokes about it either.

In a recent video posted by Nina-Marie Daniele, she shared a story of “The Italian Dream” blocking one of her followers after they sent him a shameful photo making fun of Italian cuisine.

In the video, Vettori can be heard criticizing the fan, proving once and for all that he is not the kind of man that is willing to joke around when it comes to the finer things in life.

Safe to say he didn’t appreciate the joke and wanted it out of his sight as soon as possible and who can blame him when he is receiving photos like that.

“The fact that you believe this is his food is crazy, I wouldn’t give that to like my worst enemies dog like if my worst enemy had a dog, I wouldn’t give that to him. That’s just, how can you f*cking slice it up like that?!”

Do NOT mess with Marvin Vettori LOL he takes authentic Italian cuisine very seriously lmao @MarvinVettori Post your favorite “authentic” Italian cuisine for Marvin to review lol pic.twitter.com/v7BLoHw0FG

— Nina-Marie Daniele (@ninamdrama) September 19, 2023

Ciryl Gane Reiterates Reluctance To Fight Tom Aspinall Next, Explains Why It ‘Doesn’t Make Sense’

The narrative after UFC Paris earlier this month was all laid out in front of Ciryl Gane but “Bon Gamin” chose to read off his own script.

With Sergei Pavlovich looming over both men, Tom Aspinall sat front row after his win in London over Marcin Tybura, ready to secure a fight with Gane after his victory over Serghei Spivac.

Instead, Gane seemed disinterested in the fight, stating that he only wants the title fight next.

Having challenged for the belt twice before, he further elaborated on his claims and why he doesn’t want to fight backwards as the number one contender in the division.

On The MMA Hour, Gane made his stance on fighting one more contender first very clear, suggesting that he may be in for a bit of a wait to get his shot.

“I know a lot of people talk about Aspinall, but this doesn’t make sense for me,” Gane said. “Like every time, with my management, they do a really great job all of my career. That’s why (my rise) was so fast. Now I just want to go to the belt. I’m number one contender, he is number four. It doesn’t make sense. I did it already and it was a big risk, against this wrestler. Now I don’t want to have another risk. I want to take a risk for something.”

Read more on the story here.

For more MMA news, check out:

• NSAC Taking Action After Controversial 10-8 Score In Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko 2 At Noche UFC
• Gilbert Burns Answers If He’d Fight Teammates Ian Machado Garry & Shavkat Rakhmonov
• Valentina Shevchenko Pitches Unique Location For Potential Alexa Grasso Flyweight Trilogy

Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.