DQ!! Watch Aljamain Sterling win title after illegal knee

Watch highlights from the bantamweight title fight.

Aljamain Sterling vs Petr Yan was one of three title fights on the stacked UFC 259 fight card. While both are well rounded, this bantamweight title bout was billed mostly as a grappler vs striker contest, but it was a pretty fun mixed martial arts affair while it lasted, with Yan even scoring with a nice slam and several nice trips. It was a dominant performance for the champion, up until he landed a pretty blatant knee. He was disqualified and Sterling won the belt.

Check out highlight videos from the contest below, along with a snippet from our play-by-play of the event.

Petr Yan vs. Aljamain Sterling – Round 4

Sterling with some body kicks but another trip by Yan for his seventh takedown of the fight. Yan with a leg kick as Sterling remains on the mat. Knee to the body by Yan as Sterling gets back up. Vicious right hand by Yan. Body shots by Sterling. Good stuff there for the challenger. Leg kick by Yan. Sterling with the trip attempt and nothing doing. Elbow by Sterling but a wicked straight left by Yan. Body kick by Yan as he switches things up and he has to defend another takedown. Stuffed and then a spinning elbow by Yan misfires. Sterling getting caught after a bad spinning back kick. Another body kick by Yan. Sterling clearly slowing down. Straight left by Yan. Jump knee by Yan comes up short. Counter right hook by Yan from southpaw. Straight left stunned Sterling. Heavy knee by Yan. Sterling’s body language is not encouraging. Clinch knee and a 1-2 by Yan. God bless Sterling he is still trying and he gets a head kick to land but Yan has pushed his head down and got him grounded. The most illegal knee ever has been thrown. Sterling was clearly down and Yan might get DQed. The fight is over.

Aljamain Sterling def. Petr Yan by DQ (illegal knee) at 4:29 of round 4 to become the new UFC men’s bantamweight champion