Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling has drawn a parallel between the backlash he faced after winning the title from Petr Yan and the criticism currently directed at Tom Aspinall amid his situation with Ciryl Gane.
Sterling captured the bantamweight belt in controversial fashion during his fight against Petr Yan, securing the victory via disqualification after Yan delivered an illegal knee. The incident marked the beginning of Sterling's reign as champion, which he described as fairly solid, while Yan took years to recover from the setback.
Despite his subsequent success, Sterling endured significant criticism from fans and observers who accused him of exaggerating the extent of his injury to claim the title in a bout many believed he was losing.
In a recent series of tweets, Sterling explicitly compared his experience to Aspinall's ongoing scrutiny. He wrote, "And I agree 100%. It’s ashame Gane is not in the headlines for the foul as it was for Yan not in the headlines for his fouls. Both Tom and I were perceived the be the 'fakes' and 'milking' their reactions of their fouls. Til this day I get messages that I cheated Yan and faked…"
Sterling further elaborated on the double standards in MMA, stating, "Then you’re just as slow as the rest of them if you can’t listen and see the double edge sword of this mma game. Damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Better yet, I should blast you in the head with a knee you DONT see, then ask you 'can you continue?' Let’s see how you and all the dumb tough guys respond and react."
The comments highlight a perceived hypocrisy in how fouls are treated depending on the fighter involved, with Sterling noting that Gane has not faced similar headlines for his actions as Yan did previously.
Sterling's remarks underscore the enduring nature of the controversy surrounding his title win, as he continues to receive messages accusing him of cheating and faking his reaction to this day.
