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UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling expects to fight Henry Cejudo next, but does not expect it to happen soon. Sterling is suffering from a partial bicep tendon tear and is hesitant to take the Cejudo fight until he fully recovers.

Sterling offered an update about his condition on Monday. Sterling confirmed that the Cejudo fight is most likely next, but a rumored March date may not be tenable.

"The fight is supposed to be [between] myself and Henry Cejudo, I think that's all said and done. It's whether or not I can compete with this torn bicep again," Sterling said in a video posted to his YouTube channel. "Going through another training camp with a torn bicep, against a guy who is stronger in the wrestling department, who will use his wrestling more.

"I'm going to need this bicep to compete at 100%. And I don't take Henry Cejudo lightly… Is it realistic for me to fight in March? I don't think it really is."

Sterling clarified the severity of his injury on Tuesday. Sterling has been dealing with a partially torn bicep tendon for nearly one year, but the injury is not as severe as the full bicep tear he suffered in 2016.

Sterling also told CBS Sports that he does not anticipate surgically repairing the problem.

"That recovery wasn't fun and that's why I'm afraid to push my luck again in another intense five-round training camp," Sterling said. "I need to wrestle to prepare."

Sterling (22-3) easily defended the UFC bantamweight championship against TJ Dillashaw at UFC 280 in October. The fight played out unusually with Dillashaw's shoulder repeatedly popping out of place due to an injury he did not disclose until moments before the bout. Sterling is on an eight-fight winning streak including a pair of title wins over Petr Yan and a first-round submission of Cory Sandhagen.

Cejudo (16-2) is an Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling and former simultaneous two-division UFC champion. He retired following six consecutive wins, including beating Demetrious Johnson for the UFC flyweight title and Marlon Moraes for the vacant UFC bantamweight championship. He vacated the bantamweight title after a second-round TKO win over Dominick Cruz in May 2020.