Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan will not be fighting at UFC 267. Sterling pulled out of the title rematch, citing an ongoing neck issue, and his opponent-to-be is not happy.
Petr Yan told RT Sport that Sterling is a “sneaky coward” for pulling out of the match. “Greetings to everyone!
Petr Yan Trashes “Sneaky Coward” Aljamain Sterling, Sterling Responds
You all know what’s just happened to my fight. You all know that Aljo just ran away like a sneaky coward. Here is what I would like to say. I am not going to sit and wait for him.
I am going to fight on October 30 in Abu Dhabi, and I would like to address the UFC. UFC, give me any fighter. Top five, top seven, top 10, anyone who deserves to fight for the belt, and I will get the job done. I’ll show you who here is really champ. Thank you for all your support, my friends. See you in Abu Dhabi.”
Yan lost his bantamweight belt to Sterling earlier this year via disqualification when he kicked a grounded Sterling in the head. Leg strikes to the head of a grounded opponent are illegal under the unified rules of MMA, and although Yan had dominated the fight prior, this illegal move cost him the fight and his title.
Sterling has yet to defend the bantamweight strap, with a Yan rematch the highest priority for both men. For his part, Sterling took to Instagram to explain his choice not to fight. Sterling claims that an ongoing neck injury is keeping him from competition.
““Let’s clear the air today. I am NOT injured for my real fans, family, and friends that are asking/wondering. To the haters, trying to take away my attention from my teammate, @merab.dvalishvili, to talk about myself and my situation isn’t what I wanted to do.
Merab looked amazing on Saturday night and had a wicked performance! My situation is complicated. It’s the neck that we’re talking about! This is the BEST I’ve ever felt, waking up in the morning and being able to live life pain-free from nerve issues that’s I’ve had for 10+ years now.
As always, I like to share the truth and be transparent with my fan base that actually give a sh*t about fighters health. Training has been going well but I’ve been struggling to get my body to push pass 2 RDs in sparring sessions.
The fatigue that sets in and the cramping still lingers, which my surgeon said is due to the nerves still recovering from the long-term trauma, and surgery I just had. Nothing I can do about that, other than show up in another shell of myself and risk wasting the surgery and maybe getting severely hurt!!”
What do you think of the Yan vs Sterling rematch getting cancelled? Let us know in the comments.
Remember to stay up to date with the latest news on TheOvertimer. Don’t forget to visit ScreenJuicer for great videos, news, and gameplay!
