Tensions continue to escalate between UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling, interim champ Petr Yan, and their respective teams ahead of UFC 273.
Sterling posted video of a run-in he and teammate Merab Dvalishvili had backstage on Friday with Yan following UFC 273’s weigh-ins. The clip shows Sterling and Dvalishvili being kept apart from Yan and their Russian team by security. In the background, you can see lightweight UFC fighter Al Iaquinta.
“Hey, tomorrow. My friend, tomorrow,” Sterling shouts at Yan as he’s led away.
Below is video of the incident.
Sterling and Yan are slated to rematch in the co-main event of UFC 273, which takes place on Saturday at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.
The rivalry between the two has grown heated in the 13 months since they first fought at UFC 259 — a fight that saw Sterling capture the UFC bantamweight title via disqualification as a result of an illegal knee thrown by Yan in the fourth round of a bout he was winning.
At Wednesday’s UFC 273 media day, Yan issued a warning that he would “kill” Sterling and his team if they crossed paths during fight week — a threat which caused Sterling to scoff and offer to give Yan his room number. The two ultimately had plenty to say in their final faceoff at Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins. That clip can be watched below.
