Aljamain Sterling: All The Pressure Is On Petr Yan At UFC 273

Aljamain Sterling is embracing his underdog status ahead of UFC 273.

UFC 273 is quickly approaching and the co-main event is one that fans are very interested in. The rematch between champion Aljamain Sterling and interim champion Petr Yan will provide answers to lingering questions.

The last time these two fought Yan was disqualified due to an illegal knee and Sterling took home the belt. There has been a lot of talk surrounding the nature of the fight and now with the rematch just hours away, both fighters will have their opportunities to prove they can win.

“At the end of the day, I’m human, I make mistakes, and I made a mistake in the last fight,” Sterling said in an interview with UFC. “Now here’s my opportunity to right the ship, right the wrong, and really show the world that I am who I say I am.”

Sterling has taken some criticism for the way he won his first UFC championship. After a long layoff due to injury and surgery, Sterling is coming into his first title defense and ready to prove what he can do. He also thinks it is a chance for Yan to do the same.

“This is Yan’s chance to do the same thing — for him to prove to people that he is who he says he is, too,” he quickly added. “I think the pressure is on him, to be honest. Everyone is already counting me out.

Sterling is the underdog in this rematch but that isn’t weighing on him. He is confident in himself and is embracing this underdog role.

“I’m a huge underdog, which doesn’t bother me one bit. I’ve been in this situation before — maybe not this big of an underdog — but with ‘He can’t strike with Pedro Munhoz’ or ‘He can’t strike with Cory Sandhagen.’ It goes on and on with the doubt that people have had in me, but I think that’s what makes sports so great because the competitors get to decide who is who when they get in there and settle it.” he explained. “What it all comes down to is those 25 minutes, who’s the man on April 9th?”

UFC 273 featuring Sterling vs. Yan as the co-main event goes down tonight, April 9. The main event is a featherweight title bout between Alexander Volkanovski and Chan Sung Jung aka The Korean Zombie.

Who do you think will walk away with the belt at UFC 273, Sterling or Yan?

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