Petr Yan's UFC 259 disqualification explained, five years on
In March 2021 Yan became the first fighter to lose a UFC title by disqualification. The man who won it is in Abu Dhabi for UFC 333 week.
Before his two fights with Merab Dvalishvili, the strangest night of Petr Yan's career came at UFC 259 in Las Vegas in March 2021. Defending the bantamweight title against Aljamain Sterling, Yan threw a knee in the fourth round that struck Sterling in the face while Sterling had a knee on the mat, which made him a downed fighter under the rules.
Sterling was checked by the referee and the doctor and ruled unable to continue. Because the foul was judged intentional, he won by disqualification. CBS Sports reported that it was the first time a UFC title had changed hands that way, and MMA Junkie lists Yan as the first fighter to lose a UFC title by disqualification.
Yan was ahead at the time. After three rounds, two judges had him leading 29-28 and one had Sterling ahead by the same score. "I made a big mistake and I paid for it," Yan wrote afterwards. Sterling said: "That's not the way I wanted to win."
Yan went on to lose the rematch and then a split decision to Sean O'Malley in Abu Dhabi, before winning four in a row and taking the title from Dvalishvili in December 2025. That made him one of only three two-time UFC bantamweight champions, alongside Dominick Cruz and TJ Dillashaw.
Sterling is in Abu Dhabi this week for a live Q&A at Etihad Arena before Friday's ceremonial weigh-ins. Yan defends the title against Dvalishvili in the co-main event of UFC 333 on Saturday 24 October.
UFC 333: Volkanovski vs EvloevSat 24 Oct · Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi See ticketsSource: CBS Sports, MMA Junkie via Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, The National
