Yan: UFC should strip 'laughingstock' Sterling of bantamweight title

Warning: Story contains coarse language

Petr Yan doesn't think Aljamain Sterling should be allowed to continue as the UFC bantamweight champion.

The former titleholder wrote Thursday on Twitter that the UFC should strip Sterling of the 135-pound belt after "Funk Master" revealed he likely won't be able to defend it until the fourth quarter of 2021.

Sterling captured the bantamweight title with a disqualification victory over Yan at UFC 259 in March and is expected to rematch "No Mercy" in his first title defense. However, the champion is scheduled to undergo neck surgery on April 15 to address a lingering injury, he told ESPN's Brett Okamoto. Sterling expects to be ready to fight by October or November.

There are no firm rules for stripping a UFC champion of his or her belt due to inactivity, but several titleholders have maintained their status while sidelined for over a year.

Yan, 28, landed an illegal knee in the fourth round of his title defense against Sterling, leading to the disqualification result. It was his first loss under the UFC banner.

Sterling, 31, submitted Cory Sandhagen last June to earn his title shot and has won six straight.