THE STORY
At UFC 259 on March 6, 2021, in Las Vegas, Petr Yan faced Aljamain Sterling in a bantamweight title defense. In the fourth round, Yan landed an illegal knee to Sterling's head while Sterling was grounded, leading to Yan's disqualification and Sterling being awarded the title. (mmafighting.com)
TEAMS / PEOPLE:
Petr Yan, Corner Team
WHY IT MATTERS
This incident marked the first time a UFC title changed hands via disqualification, highlighting the critical importance of corner communication and fighter awareness of the rules.