According to Aljamain Sterling, the response to his controversial UFC 259 title win has been more radical than the general public realizes.
Despite Aljamain Sterling being on the receiving end of an illegal knee from Petr Yan, it has been Sterling placed at the center of attention in the aftermath of UFC 259. The new champion has had questions and accusations thrown at him nonstop regarding the extent to which he was actually impacted by the knee. Sterling’s immediate reaction to the knee and his responses to questions asked of him by referee Mark Smith and the ringside doctor is what led to the fight being called to a close. Due in large part to the illegal knee being ruled intentional, the final decision was a disqualification loss for Petr Yan.
Sterling Discusses Ugly Fan Backlash Following UFC 259
In professional wrestling, the champion retains the title if he/she is disqualified. In the real world, being disqualified comes with a heavy price, regardless of the sport or line of work. Petr Yan paid that price by losing the bantamweight title as a result of his unfortunate lapse in judgment. And as it turns out, Sterling has shared that he is also paying a price from the disqualification: a lack of peace for himself and his loved ones.
“I love that Russia gets behind their guys, but I just think the way that they’re getting behind him for doing something illegal just makes no sense,” Sterling told The Schmo recently. “And it kind of shows the type of fans that he actually has. Not everyone is like that, but the majority of them who are sending out threats and stuff to my family, my fiancée, my teammates, it’s just kind of silly. It’s unwarranted.”
Aljamain Sterling did not divulge details on the degree and exact nature of the threats, but from the sounds of it, the quantity is enough for him to lay blame on the majority of Petr Yan’s fans. The UFC is looking at remedying this situation by booking a rematch as soon as all parties are healthy and ready to roll. At this point, it looks as though a definitive, non-controversial outcome is about the only thing that will bring peace to all parties involved and even for the rabid fans not directly involved.
What do you make of Aljamain Sterling stating that his friends and family are receiving threats from Petr Yan’s fans?
