Aljamain Sterling responded to enemies who accused him of overdoing Petr Yan’s illegal knee at UFC 259 to win the cock title.
Sterling (20-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) has been the subject of many negative comments from fans and fellow fighters since Saturday’s fight with Yan (15-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC), where he became the first in history of the UFC to win the title by disqualification after being hit with an illegal blow in the fourth round of the fight at UFC Apex, in Las Vegas.
Since the moment the belt was handed to him, Sterling has not felt well about it. He said in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan on fight night that he didn’t want to be a champion that way, and it seems he doesn’t think of anything different days later.
Sterling said he doesn’t feel like a real champion, but he also knows he is in this situation because of Yan’s mistake, and that is not something he can control.
“Now I’m technically the new UFC world champion,” said Sterling in his “The Weekly Scraps Podcast”. “Bittersweet, because it’s not how I wanted to win, was a DQ from another man making an illegal move and being disqualified from the match. This is not how I wanted to win. Just so you know: I don’t feel like the champion because I obviously didn’t win the way I wanted to. But rules exist for a reason. It is astonishing to me that a guy like Yan can reach his caliber, the highest of the high places to become a champion, and still make mistakes like that. “
Sterling said the impact of Yan’s illegal knee was significant. He said that he felt shaken whenever he tried to sit or get up after that happened and that he felt more lucid when lying on his back. Obviously, this is not an ideal condition for trying to compete.
There were a lot of things going through Sterling’s mind at the moment, he said. Among them was the fact that the belt could potentially escape from him forever. Sterling 14 took fights in the UFC and a lot of frustration to finally get into the octagon and fight for the title, and he knew there was no certainty that the chance would come back if he kept fighting as long as he was committed.
“I remember asking, ‘How much time do I have?’ Because I wanted to continue, ”said Sterling. “Right now, I’m thinking a lot of things in my head: Dana (White) is not going to give me another chance for the title, the fight is going to be without dispute, Dana is going to say, ‘He went to lose that fight in the fourth round, so for should we use it again? We already know the direction the fight was taking, so let’s move on. ‘So I, I will never have the opportunity again. I will have to win three or four more fights to be in this position for the world title again.
“These thoughts are going through my head. No, ‘I will become the world champion.’ That, I didn’t even think I understood. I didn’t even want that. So, all my friends and family see me. They knew I had this. They took it out for me. I put it on my shoulder and wanted me to be proud of my performance and how I behaved. Everyone knew that this was not how I wanted to win, but they said that I am still the champion. I made it. It is difficult to reach this position anyway to fight for a world title. “
Sterling admits that he did not perform better in the fight against Yan. He started off strong in the opening round, but Yan found his time and pace in striking and grabbing as the action progressed. Yan was ahead by 29-28 on two scorecards after the third round, while another judge had Sterling with 29-28.
There was no ignorance on Sterling’s part about how the action was going. He said it was far from his clearest display and attributed it to an imperfect weight cut. However, giving up was never on his mind, said Sterling.
Sterling said he will not tolerate issues surrounding his integrity. Trying to find an easy way out or obtaining the title under false pretenses was never Sterling’s wish, he said, and bit back anyone who hinted otherwise.
“For the fighters who said I ordered, good for you,” said Sterling. “Do you already see me giving up or looking for a way out? Where a guy puts a half-naked and half-naked choke, and you look around and think, ‘Okay, I can knock now. … I can give up now. ‘You are the damn softies. I fought like hell all the time, and I wouldn’t give up on this fight. I was going to take my beating or find a way to persevere or find a way to win as a man, because that is exactly what I do. I haven’t given up on me. There is no exit button whenever I am there. You can find it easy and talk about Oscar and everything. You are the actors, and it can be a reflection or your own spirit. “
Sterling said he has medical appointments soon to check for persistent damage to his neck and wrist. He will rest until he is released, when he plans to return to training and work in the UFC on a date to schedule a rematch with Yan.