UFC 273: At Last a Final Resolution Between Sterling and Yan

By
Gabriel Gonzalez
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Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling, UFC 259
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 05: (L-R) Opponents Petr Yan of Russia and Aljamain Sterling face off during the UFC 259 weigh-in at UFC APEX on March 05, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

More than a year since their now infamous first clash, bantamweight champions Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan will meet once again to determine who will write the narrative of their rivalry at UFC 273.

It all happened so quickly and tumultuously last March.  Aljamain Sterling, after having unleashed a furious assault, was slowing down and eating shots as the champion Petr Yan was gaining momentum in the fourth round.  Then the sequence: Yan attacking an exhausted Sterling who was a grounded opponent and looked to be on his way out of the bout when Yan delivered the illegal knee that stopped the fight.  The physically beaten Sterling remained on the mat and the referee, after several tense moments, ended the bout and declared Sterling the winner – and champion- by disqualification due to an illegal strike.

The chain of events has led to a change in the status quo for Aljamain Sterling.  Relentless harassment on social media in the form of being called a “paper champ” has become the norm for the contender who rode a five fight win-streak going into the bout.  While initially taking a more reserved approach, Sterling has spent the last year leaning into the reality of the situation.  He was not the one who threw an illegal strike and the rules stand that the fighter who does so can be disqualified.  With criticism coming his way regardless of his comments, he has not shied away from living the life of a champion and maintaining his stance that he will emerge victorious in the rematch with his Russian rival.

But the rematch is far from simple.  Going into the first bout, Sterling had bested the likes of Cory Sandhagen, Pedro Munoz, Jimmie Rivera, Cody Stamann, and Brett Johns.  Now, “The Funkmaster” is at a precarious crossroads.  Though still an elite talent, the nature of the first bout has led to a reaction from the public towards Sterling as if he has only stalled a division that he never truly reigned over.  The fact that he entered the first bout with a neck injury and the fact that he has needed time to recover from the procedure to fix it following the fight have done nothing to slow the criticism.  A victory over Yan would reassert Sterling at the top of the division and provide vindication for the past year.  A loss, however, would hurt his stock as the bantamweight division continues to build a line of contenders eager to push him out of the picture.

Petr Yan has been corralled into the role of the seething rival who has been forced to wait in the wings.  “No Mercy” was unable to do anything but wait to rectify his mistakes until their scheduled rematch last October.  A month out from the bout, it was announced Sterling would still not be ready to fight and Yan took a dangerous replacement in Cory Sandhagen.  Yan made the most of the situation and turned in one of the best fights of the year in outlasting Sandhagen in an electrifying five round contest.  While it was one of the more impressive bouts of his career, there was no question as to who he wished his opponent had been

Yan enters UFC 273 on an incredible twelve fight run.  Going back to 2016, he has turned in victories against UFC legends José Aldo, Urijah Faber, veterans Jimmie Rivera, John Dodson, and current Bellator contender Magomed Magomedov.  Consider that most felt he was on his way to a stoppage of Sterling, and it is fair to say that Yan is crafting one of the most impressive resumes seen at 135 pounds in many years.  A victory on Saturday would feel as if it is the resumption of an epic run, but a loss would be a disappointment of epic proportions after all the time it took to reach this point.

The most important lesson Sterling should have taken from the first bout is the significance of being efficient with his energy.  While he had incredible success in the first bout, he should look to be more patient and accurate with his shot selection and attack.  He versatility makes him a tremendously dangerous opponent, but he has seen not only himself but also Aldo and Sandhagen fall into the familiar trap of expending too much energy in failed attempts to break Yan down.  Apart from being more selective on the feet, he should also look to put more emphasis on testing Yan off his back as to conserve energy.

For Yan, he should look to initiate more exchanges to get Sterling out of rhythm early and force him to make adjustments.  While he has earned a reputation for absorbing strikes early with his high guard before roaring back in the later rounds, he should look to avoid necessitating such a rally on Saturday.  Pushing forward and making Sterling feel the pressure while targeting kicks to the calf will be an efficient way to cut at the gas tank of “The Funkmaster” early and thus put him in a better position from the beginning of the fight.  While Yan’s gas tank is proven in five round fights, it is expected that Sterling will be coming in prepared and with a strategy that leaves him far fresher late in the fight this time around.

Most expect former champion TJ Dillashaw to be the next title challenger assuming his recovery from surgery on his knee goes well.  In the event that he is still unavailable, former champions José Aldo or Dominick Cruz could be in the running to step into the bout.  While a third fight between Yan and Sterling down the line is not out of the question, it will be difficult to see a loaded division such as bantamweight wait for them once again.

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