UFC champs are Long Island real estate’s newest hotshots — and fighting their way to the top

Less curb stomping, more curb appeal.

For Al Iaquinta, dedicating his life to the brutal commitment of being a UFC contender gave the Long Island-based brawler an x-factor for success.

So, when the 37-year-old found himself seriously slowed down by an injury from fighting back in 2017, he decided to go after another challenge — a career in real estate.

The self-confessed HGTV lover — who admits to finding the process of buying his own home more interesting than most would — has already sold 80 properties, and he’s just getting warmed up.

“I have such an advantage over any agent just because I’ve been through fighting and I have something they don’t have. The goal now is to become the champion of real estate,” Iaquinta told The Post.

And lately, the former professional bruiser has found a colleague in a fellow contender: two-time champion in separate weight classes — and licensed realtor — Aljamain “Aljo” Sterling of Massapequa.

The pair are just two of the UFC fighters setting up a succession plan for when their days of big bruising are over — by selling high-end homes.

In Nevada, the bone-crushing Joseph Benavidez is killing it in the property game — as is Jessica Penne in Southern California .

How much are tickets for UFC 306 O’Malley-Dvalishvili at Las Vegas Sphere?

“Real estate is good to have in your back pocket, especially for us,” said Sterling. “We come into large, lump sums of money at one time.”

The two good pals are currently teaming up to roundhouse a posh $1.3 million listing in the ritzy Massapequa nabe of Harbor Green.

And despite the swinging for-sale signs of a smiling Iaquinta holding up his fist, he says that most of the people who show up to his open houses aren’t there for a handshake, if they even recognize the duo from their other lives — they’re pretty much just there to buy a house.

With fame from his time in the octagon only getting him so far, Iaquinta confessed that finally retiring from fighting in 2021 and opening his own Wantagh office last year “scared the crap out of me.”

“Putting my own name on a building, there was a fear of losing there similar to fighting,” he said, adding that the time commitment and intensity needed for the gig are about the same as when he was a pro athlete.

Top-contender status drives Cory Sandhagen in rebooked UFC on ABC headliner

“The only thing that is different now is that working out is not part of my job,” he joked.

Since going all in, the business has been a hit — enough to bring in his new partner Sterling, who turned 35 on July 31.

The sharply-dressed man showed up to a July open house still sore from a training session earlier in the week. He’s glad, he said, for the additional challenge.

“I think the biggest takeaway in life is always having some type of goals for yourself — and not just one,” the motivated Sterling told The Post.

Along with getting into properties — he’s personally sold two houses and looks forward to closing the deal on the Harbor Green property — Sterling is also releasing his own alcohol line, Funk Harbor Rum , on August 1. The name derives from his UFC nickname, “Funk Master.”

Sterling grew up in a large family in Uniondale, a grittier part of Long Island, and used fighting as a way to avoid pressure to join gangs — the way one of his brothers did.

With a handful of UFC fights under his belt since 2014, Sterling got his realtor’s license around 2017 — along with a degree in physical education to teach.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR MORNING REPORT NEWSLETTER

“Fighting wasn’t the main goal for me coming out of college … I had to keep my options open,” Sterling added. “You start off on a good foot and then you lose two fights and you’re contemplating that you might have to dust off your resume a bit.”

Now with a 24-4 record, he’s getting the balancing act down pat while moving further into the business world and lining up for a day when it’s time to hang up the gloves.

“It wasn’t the easiest thing, but it can be done,” he said. “You need a good team around you.”

And what better teammate than someone you’ve literally fought and bled with?

“We’ve been through it all together, traveled the world together, trained together, fought together,” Iaquinta said, noting how much fun they have had on the project, especially in making lighthearted promo videos .

“I know I can count on Aljo and vice versa.”

For the latest in lifestyle, top headlines, breaking news and more, visit nypost.com/lifestyle/