Most combat sports fans might know about the rough upbringing of the famed boxing legend, Mike Tyson. Tyson’s father, Jimmy Kirkpatrick abandoned the family leaving Tyson with his mother, who was also a victim of substance abuse. The 57-year-old gradually turned into a “wild kid” who stole things and ended up in juvenile detention just at the age of 13. But, the youngest Heavyweight boxing champion isn’t the only instance of a combat sports athlete with a troubled childhood.
Even a number of UFC fighters have also been through an unruly childhood. Most UFC fans are already aware of how the noted Diaz’ brothers, Nick and Nate, had spent their childhood days. Both of them have also revealed that sometimes they had no idea about where would they get their next meal from. Although, the famed current UFC Bantamweight champ, Aljamain Sterling, didn’t have to face any such issues. His childhood, too, was far from something one would like to have.
Aljamain Sterling’s abusive childhood
Sterling has opened up regarding his traumatic childhood in a UFC documentary created about him. He has stated that his father, Cleveland Sterling, was the prime reason behind his traumatic childhood. Growing up in a small household with seven siblings and six half-siblings, Sterling recognized his primary responsibility of standing by his mom at a tender age.
Sterling revealed that he would regularly keep the house clean and help his little siblings with their daily chores. He has also stated that his father used to be absent most of the time. But his father used to indulge in severe violence and beat up his mother most of the time when he was around. ‘Funk Master’ has narrated one such incident in the YouTube documentary as well.
He stated, “There was one time they were fighting in the kitchen and my dad was beating my mom up and I remember him going outside, like trying to leave, coming back, going for a knife, I just remember her calling for me, just hearing her voice call for me, screaming and pain like that and her voice pretty much gone.”
Even a UFC champion with a tough spirit like Sterling took multiple breaks while revealing his story. Quite apparently, it was really hard for him to recollect those traumatic visuals of the times he had seen. It’s also pretty understandable no one would want to have a dreaded childhood like the 34-year-old Jamaican-American.
Aljamain Sterling compared his UFC career to his estranged father
In his UFC documentary, Sterling also revealed how his father was never accepting of his abilities. In an almost two-month-old appearance on the noted YouTuber-boxer, Jake Paul’s podcast, Sterling opined his UFC career could be compared to his father’s characteristics. He implied how he felt every time he had to “prove something” to continue fighting for the promotion.
Most UFC fans might already know that Sterling wasn’t pretty keen to accept the UFC 292 bout against Sean O’Malley. But after some to-and-fro of words with Dana White, ‘Funk Master’ finally had to accept what the UFC planned for him. At Paul’s podcast, the Jamaican-American compared this testing nature of the UFC to his father.
He said, “So I look at them like my dad, where I almost feel like I need to prove something to pops, to be like, ‘Oh yeah, you think this, ‘I’m gonna show you motherf**ker,’ for me.”
Well, a large chunk of fans might also know how a massive portion of the UFC community hated Sterling, even after becoming the champion. He had to prove his worth with title defenses and is still hated by many. But several fans might agree with ‘Funk Master’s words here.
