Aljamain Sterling vowed to Petr Yan that their rematch would be a different fight.
Well, it wasn't just talk. Sterling scored a pivotal takedown in each of the second and third rounds to help power a split-decision victory over Yan to be crowned the undisputed bantamweight champion of the world at UFC 273. Judges at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. on Saturday night scored it 48-47 Sterling, 47-48 Yan and 48-47 Sterling to give him the close win in the co-main event of the pay-per-view.
This comes after Sterling called Yan a dirty fighter following Yan being disqualified for an illegal knee to the head of a downed Sterling in their first fight in March 2021.
Sterling showed Yan during their rematch that he could get funky too, changing the complexion of the bout with a big takedown and subsequent ground control in the second round for an arguable 10-8 frame. He repeat his takedown feat in the third. Altogether, Sterling posted eight minutes and 31 seconds of control time to help eke out the victory.
Yan fought back feverishly in the fourth round by opening the frame with a flurry of punches to drive the champion back and the two fought pretty evenly in the fifth and deciding round. But in the end, judges gave the nod to "Funk Master," who proceeded to shoot his shot to 50 Cent for an acting role on the television show "Power" and call out T.J. Dillashaw who flipped the champion the middle finger from the crowd.