LAS VEGAS – UFC president Dana White is looking to book the rematch between Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan right away.
Sterling (20-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) became the first fighter in UFC history to win a title by disqualification after taking an illegal knee from Yan at UFC 259 in Las Vegas. Sterling was hit with a knee to the head in the fourth round while he was a downed fighter and as a result, Yan (15-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) was disqualified.
Due to the unusual and unfortunate ending to the fight, White thinks an immediate rematch has to happen.
“Yeah, as soon as possible,” White told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at the post-fight news conference. “Aljo went to the hospital, he’s cleared. Nothing wrong with him.”
He continued, “Tuesday we’ll get together and we’ll figure out where that fight fits because Sterling wants the rematch, too. They both want the rematch, we gotta do the rematch. We’ll figure it out.”
White admitted that he was baffled at Yan’s decision to throw the knee at a clearly downed opponent, especially with the Russian in the ascendency sat that point in the fight. Two judges had Yan ahead 29-28 going into the fourth round, which was also dominating before he connected with the illegal knee.
“I think that there’s a lot of fatigue, frustration,” said White. “It was a good fight, but the thing is he was turning it on. He was starting to win the fight, he was starting to absolutely, positively take control of that fight. He was winning. You could see Aljamain Sterling breaking. Why you would throw that knee, I couldn’t tell you.”
Check out the full post-fight press conference with White via the video below.
Dana White wants to book Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan rematch ‘as soon as possible’
