‘100 per cent illegal’: UFC champion Petr Yan dethroned in dramatic scenes

The UFC world is fuming after reigning champion Petr Yan was stripped of his belt following a disqualification for an intentional foul.

Aljamain Sterling reacts after receiving an illegal knee against Petr Yan.

In dramatic scenes, reigning UFC champion Petr Yan has been stripped of his belt after being disqualified for an intentional foul.

Facing off at UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Sunday AEDT, Yan was disqualified for planting a knee in the face of Jamaican opponent Aljamain Sterling.

Sterling had a great start in the fight, landing two flying knees in the first round before grappling up against the cage.

Once they broke out, Sterling was dropped to the canvas with a massive right hand straight out of the clinch, knocking him to the ground.

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The second round continued to be tightly-contested with the commentators blown away by the crazy pace for a five-round fight.

But in the fourth round, Sterling was down on one knee when Yan kneed him in the face, bringing the fight to an abrupt end.

Sterling appeared concussed after the blow to the head, struggling to sit up unaided as a doctor rushed into the Octagon.

Aljamain Sterling is the NEW UFC Bantamweight Champion after this illegal knee disqualified Petr Yan #UFC259pic.twitter.com/lQ6ITgu9ip

— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) March 7, 2021

Yan appeared well ahead in the fight, and the moment of madness seemingly cost him a title with the commentators calling it “100 per cent illegal” the second it happened.

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

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

It was later revealed Yan was ahead on the scorecards 29-28 x2, 28-29 when the incident occurred.

Sterling was filmed crying after the telling moment, reportedly telling the doctor: “I don’t want it to end like this”.

The 31-year-old was disgusted with the belt, taking it off immediately and throwing it on the ground.

He now holds the unwanted record of being the only person to become UFC champion via disqualification.

It was the first of three blockbuster title fights at UFC 259, the main card also featuring New Zealand’s Israel Adesanya and Australia’s Megan Anderson.

After an intentional foul by Yan, he gets disqualified.

🏆 @FunkmasterMMA is the new UFC bantamweight champion! #UFC259pic.twitter.com/NNWch23IKG

— UFC_AUSNZ (@UFC_AUSNZ) March 7, 2021

Speaking to Rogan after the fight, the commentator revealed to Sterling that Yan had asked his corner if he could hit the Jamaican and his corner said yes, ultimately costing him the belt.

Sterling was near inconsolable during the interview: “Everything I worked for to this point and to have it f***ing go like that.

“I thought it was close, I thought I was down two rounds and that’s not that way I wanted to win. That’s not the way I envisioned this. I just took the f***ing belt off. I tried to continue all f***ed up like that but I was in bad shape. The ref told him I was down but it was f***ing bulls***. I understand there’s some heat, some bad blood but it’s all rivalry.”

Yan appeared equally repentant after the fight, taking to Twitter to apologise.

I apologize and wish speedy recovery to @funkmasterMMA I didn’t mean to throw an illegal strike, I just made a big mistake and paid for it.

— Petr “No Mercy” Yan (@PetrYanUFC) March 7, 2021

Aljamain Sterling reacts after his victory by disqualification.

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!”

American MMA 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.”

They are literally making a concussed guy do an interview, insane.. #UFC259

— Jerry Ainsworth (@TaylorLewan77) March 7, 2021

That knee was absolutely brutal. How Sterling was still conscious is beyond me.

— Shogun (@CallumTheShogun) March 7, 2021

Aljamain Sterling is not happy with the result and already threw down the belt. He didn't want to win that way and it's Petr Yan's responsibility for the foul. Piles of people are still trashing Sterling anyway. #UFC259

— Robert Sargent (@MMARising) March 7, 2021

Also feel awful for Sterling. He admitted he thought he was down 2 rounds.

Good on the doctor for not letting the fight continue but man, that’s a terrible ending to what was a fun fight.

— Aaron Leming (@AaronLemingNFL) March 7, 2021