JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – UFC president Dana White did not agree with the decision in his bantamweight title fight Saturday, but that doesn’t mean the promotion is changing course on its immediate future.
In the UFC 273 main event at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, champion Aljamain Sterling (21-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) retained his title against rival Petr Yan (16-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) via split decision. The closely-contested contest had two judges scoring the bout 48-47 for Sterling, while the third went 48-47 Yan. When asked at a post fight-news conference, White told reporters including MMA Junkie he agreed with the dissenting scoring.
“I thought the judges blew that one,” White said. “I had it 3-2 (for Yan). I don’t know how you guys scored it. It’s all in however you score that first round.”
Although he scored the fight for Yan, the division needs to keep moving, rather than go with a rematch, indicated White. Former UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw (17-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) was penciled as the next title challenger and White doesn’t see that changing.
“That fight will be there,” White said. “Petr Yan is one of the baddest dudes in that division, (but) you probably do the T.J. fight.”
Sterling is currently on a seven-fight winning streak that includes two consecutive victories over Yan, as well as wins over Cory Sandhagen and Pedro Munhoz among others. As for Dillashaw, he’s 1-0 since he returned from a two-year USADA drug suspension. In July, he defeated Cory Sandhagen via five-round split decision.
Check out Dana White’s full UFC 273 post-fight news conference in the video above.