Brian Ortega vs Aljamain Sterling - AI generated fight pick

Aljamain Sterling is the more well-rounded and statistically efficient fighter in this matchup. He has a significant edge in striking accuracy (52% vs 38%) and striking defense (59% vs 50%), which is particularly important against a fighter like Brian Ortega, who absorbs a lot of damage in his fights. Sterling's wrestling and grappling, while not as submission-oriented as Ortega's, is still effective, and his ability to control positions and rack up control time has been proven against elite competition. While Ortega is dangerous with submissions, Sterling has only been submitted once in his career and has a strong grappling pedigree himself. Sterling's recent performances, including wins over top-tier opponents like Cejudo and Dillashaw, show he can implement a high-volume, smart game plan. Historically, fighters with Sterling's style, age, and reach have a higher win rate in similar featherweight matchups, especially when they can avoid extended ground exchanges with submission specialists. Ortega's lower striking output, less effective takedown game, and tendency to take damage make him the underdog in this stylistic clash.