Petr Yan wants another chance to beat Aljamain Sterling.
In Saturday’s co-main event at UFC 273 in Jacksonville, Fla. Sterling beat Yan with a split decision. He wanted to unify his title and Yan’s interim title. After Sterling’s disqualification at UFC 259 March last year, it was Yan’s second consecutive defeat in a championship fight.
Post-fight, Yan — now a former undisputed champion and a former interim champion — was asked for his thoughts on the judges’ decision and he answered that he believes he should be leaving the octagon with undisputed gold around his waist once more.
“I won this fight,” Yan said via a Russian translator. “I think I won this fight and I got dropped.”
According to the official scorecards, Round 1 was the disputed frame with all three judges scoring Rounds 2 and 3 for Sterling and Rounds 4 and 5 for Yan. Yan told interviewer Joe Rogan that he agreed that Round 1 was pivotal and that he won “three rounds out of five.”
Later speaking in English, Yan reiterated his belief that he won the fight (at one point, he appeared to misspeak and claim he won Round 2, which was Sterling’s most dominant round of the fight) while calling for a rematch with Sterling.
” Yan stated that he wanted a rematch. “I want rematch. First round I win… Fourth, Fifth round I win. I want a rematch.”
