Petr Yan isn’t all that concerned with Aljamain Sterling’s jokes ahead of their fight on Saturday.
Yan and Sterling rematch for the UFC bantamweight title in the co-main event of UFC 273. Sterling is optimistic that things will turn out differently, but Yan stated Saturday night that the champion would be done.
“Just imagine, he’s tired of thinking about me, and I didn’t even think about him at all,” Yan said via translator on The MMA Hour. He had an extended layoff and I had another opponent. I fought, and now he’s my next target that I’m gonna beat up. Everyone will forget all about him after Saturday’s fight. That clown is gone
“I think he [won’t] be able to do it; I think he wouldn’t be able to take me down. He said it was just going to stay in his mind, and it will remain his dream. He is a clown. He’s just a talker, so if he shows up to your show after the fight, it will be empty for him to speak .”
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The bantamweight title unifier is a long-awaited grudge match dating back to their first fight at UFC 259, which Yan lost his title by disqualification after illegally kneeing Sterling in the head and ending the bout. A neck surgery for Sterling delayed an immediate rematch and so instead, Yan fought Cory Sandhagen for an interim title, winning a unanimous decision at UFC 267.
For the past year, Yan has been taking shots at Sterling, calling him a fake champion and acting actor for his win of the title. Sterling has responded in kind that Yan is a “cheater” and a “dummy” for illegally kneeing him in the first place. With their rematch finally looming, this past week, Sterling took one final opportunity to make fun of Yan, posting a video of mocking Yan’s title-losing illegal knee.
Going over some Fight IQ with the team….. ya know so that they never lose their belt.
The best seller, MMA Rule Book For Dummies, by yours truly is available worldwide. Even in Russia and Thailand. #justsaying
Tag a friend or a who needs this book! pic.twitter.com/o3Y0tuvw4s— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) April 3, 2022
Yan isn’t bothered by such things.
“He is just trying to make money off the pay-per views,” said the interim champ. “He’s trying to earn the last big money of his life. He’ll wear a dress if it sells pay-per view .
Many seem to agree with Yan. The interim bantamweight champion is currently a -475 favorite on DraftKings, the third-biggest favorite on the card. And with the public so strongly backing him, Yan is looking to make a statement on Saturday to finish this rivalry once and for all.
” I want to ensure there are no questions after this, and I will make certain there are no more questions,” Yan stated. “We’re gonna see his crying head on your TV again.”
UFC 273 takes place on Saturday at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.
