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UFC 273 goes down on Saturday, April 9th, 2022. In the co-main event, the highly-anticipated rematch between Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan has been the most talked-about matchup on the fight card.
Sterling and Yan fought for the first time at UFC 259. Although Sterling stayed active, Yan did a great job keeping Sterling's pressure from controlling the fight. After keeping up an absurd pace, Sterling started to get tired.
Yan started to take over in the later rounds, dominating Sterling wherever the fight went. In the fourth round, Yan suddenly landed an illegal knee on Sterling, who was a downed opponent. Sterling could not continue, and Yan was disqualified, making the former the new UFC bantamweight champion.
Watch the illegal knee by Yan below:
After months of endless backlash from the MMA world, Sterling is ready to silence the doubters at UFC 273. Sterling appeared on The MMA Hour, where he discussed the rematch. When mentioning his prediction for UFC 273, Sterling stated:
"It's either I am full of sh**, or this guy is gonna get walked. The way I am feeling right now, I think this fight will be as dominant as the fight against (Cory) Sandhagen."
Sterling was referring to his first-round submission against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 250. It was Sterling's breakout moment as he destroyed a top contender in the division. Seeing Sterling perform like that against Yan would be incredible, but it's easier said than done.
Watch Sterling's reaction after beating Sandhagen below:
Although Sterling is motivated to prove his validity as champion, Yan will be equally motivated to win. Before losing the belt by DQ, Yan was slowly becoming the best bantamweight of all time. To continue that journey, Yan must prove that the DQ was a fluke and win back the bantamweight championship at UFC 273.
Aljamain Sterling explains how excited he is for his UFC 273 return
After giving his prediction for the rematch, Sterling reflected on what it meant to have an upcoming fight. Sterling struggled with neck surgery after the first fight. It took months to heal, but that was not the only setback. The rematch was originally scheduled for October 2021 but got pushed back to UFC 273 after Yan pulled out for personal reasons.
When discussing his return, Sterling said:
"I'm excited. It's been a long time, and especially not having a light at the end of the tunnel."
Thirteen months after the original fight, Yan and Sterling are officially ready to settle their differences. Both fighters have had their fair share of trash talk, but April 9th will determine who gets the UFC bantamweight championship and ultimate bragging rights.
Watch Aljamain Sterling's full interview below:
