Aljamain Sterling is the new UFC bantamweight world champion, and it happened in one of the most unimaginable ways possible. Sterling defeated defending champion Petr Yan by disqualification after an illegal knee in the fourth round of UFC 259 in Las Vegas. The result was not satisfactory, even for the winner after a lot of fun action.
Sterling came out of the gate quickly, pressing with blows and falling attempts from the opening bell. While Sterling continued to press, Yan patiently waited for openings to come as the fight progressed. Yan displayed some impressive grappling skills, with many hoping that Sterling would be the toughest test the champion has ever faced in the grappling arena.
The submission came in the fourth round, with Sterling clearly tired and Yan coming in strong, hitting the hardest blows and winning the few significant grappling changes that existed. While Sterling tried to knock it over, he was pinned to the ground and considered down with one knee touching the carpet. Yan then dropped a flagrantly illegal knee, crushing Sterling in the face and knocking him to the ground, despite referee Mark Smith telling Yan that Sterling was a “downed fighter”.
After Sterling was examined by the referee and the doctor, he was determined not to be able to continue. As the foul was considered intentional, Sterling received the disqualification victory and the bantamweight title.
The new champion was very moved after the decision, crying on the mat before the decision was announced and again after receiving the belt. Before leaving the octagon, Sterling removed the championship belt from his waist and threw it on the screen.
“Everything I worked for, man, up to that point? So that the fight would be like this?” Sterling said after the fight. “I thought the fight was very tight and I thought I was losing two rounds. This was not how I wanted to win. I threw the belt down, man. I tried to continue, but it was wrong. ego trying to continue. “
Sterling is the first fighter in UFC history to win a championship by disqualification.
Adding some extra intrigue to the ending, although Yan seems to have established himself as the man with the momentum, Sterling was ahead 29-28 on one of the official scorers after three rounds. Yan was 29-28 in the other two. The fight, before the stoppage, was still up for grabs.
During the UFC broadcast, the recently retired UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov said that one of Yan’s Russian-speaking cornermen told Yan to kick his knee, at which point the fighter delivered the illegal blow.
Yan posted on social networks after the fight, apologizing for the illegal coup that he claims he did not intend. “I made a big mistake and paid for it,” said Yan.
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