Aljamain Sterling backs up UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan by going in hard on 'cheater' TJ Dillashaw

Aljamain Sterling
Aljamain Sterling

Aljamain Sterling sent tweet in support of UFC Bantamweight Champion Petr Yan and took a shot at TJ Dillashaw.

Earlier, Petr Yan called TJ Dillashaw a "cheater" for trying to cut in line and jump the queue to the front of the Bantamweight division and fight for the Championship.

Supporting Petr Yan's comment in a tweet soon afterwards, Aljamain Sterling questioned why someone should be given a high profile fight, let alone a title bout, just after serving time for "cheating".


Aljamain Sterling takes a dig at TJ Dillashaw

In an interview with ESPN's Brett Okamoto, TJ Dillashaw said that Petr Yan was yet to prove himself as an undisputed Champion as he had won the vacant Bantamweight title, defeating a 0-2 down Jose Aldo, and has not defended his belt since.

Nearing the end of his two-year USADA suspension for traces of EPO in his system, TJ Dillashaw said that he was coming to get the title next.

"Look man, I want that title. I want it right away. You got a guy Petr Yan that beat someone for a belt that was 0-2 in the weight division. Jose Aldo had two losses and you beat him for a title, so how’re you calling yourself a champion? To me, you’re an interim champion. That belt has changed hands every fight. There’s been no one there that’s been sitting there being dominant. That is my belt, I wanna come back, I want that title fight."

Petr Yan told him to wait in line, implying that he would have to work his way up to the title shot like everyone else has to.

Aljamain Sterling, who is the top contender to challenge for Yan's Bantamweight title, mirrored Yan's comment in a tweet of his own.

Aljamain Sterling did not use any name but asked if "MMA is the only sport where cheaters get rewarded after time served". Sterling was hinting at the USADA suspension that Dillashaw is coming out of, and how a fighter should not get a shot at the title as soon as they come back after a suspension.


Petr Yan vs. Aljamain Sterling cancelled

Aljamain Sterling almost got his hands on a title shot as he was set to challenge Petr Yan in the main event of UFC 256. But the bout is now cancelled as Petr Yan cannot make it to the USA because of visa issues amid the pandemic.

Aljamain Sterling will have to wait longer now to get his title shot, but hopefully not too long.

TJ Dillashaw is waiting eagerly to face the winner of the fight and take back the Bantamweight belt. Whether he gets the opportunity to do so or not, UFC and Dana White will decide.

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Edited by James Sullivan