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'Doesn't get worse': UFC world erupts over 'disgusting' illegal act

Sam Goodwin
·Sports Editor
·4-min read
Petr Yan, pictured here after his illegal knee to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259.
Petr Yan was disqualified for his illegal knee to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259. Image: UFC/Getty

Fans and commentators have erupted over crazy scenes at UFC 259 after Aljamain Sterling won the bantamweight title when Petr Yan was disqualified for an illegal knee.

The much-anticipated slate of three title fights got off to a bizarre start when Yan's inexplicable rules violation handed the 135-pound title to Sterling.

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The fight was stopped with 31 seconds left in the fourth when Yan drove his knee into the face of Sterling, who was kneeling on the canvas in front of him.

Mixed martial arts rules strictly prohibit such blows to a downed opponent, and the knee clearly hurt Sterling, who struggled and failed to get up for several minutes.

The bout was called off by referee Mark Smith, who had verbally warned Yan not to throw such a strike a few seconds earlier.

Sterling (20-3) appeared disoriented and disappointed when the belt was wrapped around his waist after a fight he appeared to be losing to Yan (15-2).

Sterling threw the belt onto the canvas before he left the octagon.

“Everything I worked for to this point, and to have the fight go like that ...," a teary-eyed Sterling said afterward.

“I thought the fight was very close. I thought I was down two rounds.

"That’s not the way I wanted to win. That’s not the way I envisioned this.

"I just took the belt off, man. I was trying to continue, but I was in bad shape.”

Petr Yan, pictured here after delivering an illegal knee to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259.
Petr Yan looks on after delivering an illegal knee to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) (Zuffa LLC)

UFC world in shock over 'sickening' moment

Fans and commentators were left in shock over the 'sickening' scenes.

"You can’t get more illegal than that,” UFC commentator Joe Rogan said.

“That knee was crazy. It was illegal. So clearly illegal.”

UFC fighter Stephen Thompson tweeted: “You should never have to ask your corner the rules mid fight.

“Feel for (Sterling) I couldn’t accept that belt that way either … feel for you brother! All heart man!”

Fellow fighter Michael Chiesa posted: “That was very illegal, it doesn’t get much worse than that.

"Yan was already flirting with danger by throwing those axe kicks when Aljo was down.

"The doctors made the right call, you can’t let the fighter make the decision to continue after taking a shot like that.

“For the record, I know for a fact that Petr Yan is NOT a dirty fighter.

"He was trying to score offence from all positions the whole fight and he listened to his corner in that scenario. Such an unfortunate situation for both men.”

Yan took to Twitter to apologise after the fight.

Meanwhile, Jan Blachowicz defended his light heavyweight title with a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Israel Adesanya, thwarting the Kiwi fighter's bid to hold two championship belts simultaneously.

Two-division champion Nunes then defended her featherweight belt with ease, beating Megan Anderson by submission 2:03 into the first round at the Apex gym on the UFC’s corporate campus.

with agencies

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