Sterling and Yan (right)(image via UFC / YouTube)

By FCF Staff

Petr Yan lost the bantamweight title at UFC 259 due to the use of an illegal knee. But, the now former champ insists he didn’t not intentionally violate the rules against Aljamain Sterling.

In the fourth round of the entertaining fight, Yan blasted Sterling with a knee to the head, while his knees were on the floor. It was determined that Sterling could not continue as a result of the foul, and he was awarded the fight via disqualification.

While talking to the media afterward, Yan had this to say, while discussing his use of the knee (quotes via MMA Junkie).

“You saw everything. I don’t even know what to say,” Yan said through an interpreter. “Before the fight, the referee was paying a lot of attention about the hand position when the fighter is grounded or not. I was too focused on his hands, and I forgot about his legs. Obviously I didn’t mean to do an illegal shot.”

“It sucks, and I think him as a fighter he also don’t want to accept the belt this way,” Yan said. “And if he’s going to be healthy, hopefully we have the rematch soon.”

After Saturday’s card, UFC President Dana White said the promotion plans to book a rematch between Sterling and Yan.