Aljamain Sterling believes Petr Yan deserves to be part of the conversation about the greatest UFC bantamweight of all time following his win over Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333 on Saturday, but he is not convinced the Russian has done enough to claim the title outright.
Sterling, who held the UFC bantamweight championship from 2021 to 2023, shared his thoughts in a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, praising Yan’s technical ability while questioning whether his championship résumé is strong enough to put him above the division’s other legends.
“Yeah, I would say from a technical standpoint, if you want to say his technique is really, really good and he's a dog when he's in there, I 100% agree. I'm not going to dismiss that. I'm not going to deny that greatness. He's a technical savage when he's in there,” Sterling said.
However, Sterling believes the criteria for determining the greatest of all time (GOAT) are not always clear, making it difficult to reach a definitive conclusion about who deserves the distinction.
“What do you consider GOAT? I don't even know anymore because it seems like the lines are so blurred that I don't even know what the conversation is really even about anymore,” he added.
“And they have my wins at 14. It should be 15. The Renan Barao win (which took place at a catchweight of 140 pounds after Barao failed to make weight) should count to make it 15. But I think Yan's now at 13. Either way, he's right there. He's definitely in the mix,” Sterling said.
Sterling questions Yan’s championship résumé
Despite acknowledging Yan’s credentials, Sterling believes the Russian’s limited number of title defenses makes it difficult to declare him the greatest bantamweight in UFC history.
Yan has established himself as one of the division’s most technically accomplished fighters and has won the UFC bantamweight championship twice. However, Sterling believes becoming a two-time champion is not necessarily enough to settle the GOAT debate.
“He's in the conversation with the Dominick Cruzes, the Merabs, TJ Dillashaw. But to just go ‘hands down, he's the GOAT’ with one title defense? It's kind of crazy to me,” Sterling said.
“To become a two-time champ in itself, that alone is hard. But one title defense, I don't know if that does it for me.”
Sterling’s argument centers on the importance of championship longevity and sustained success at the highest level. While he recognizes the difficulty of capturing a UFC title more than once, he believes a fighter’s overall body of work must also be considered before declaring them the greatest in a division’s history.
Dominick Cruz and Merab Dvalishvili remain in the conversation
Sterling also pointed to other prominent bantamweights whose accomplishments deserve consideration, including former champions Dominick Cruz and TJ Dillashaw, as well as current-era contender Merab Dvalishvili.
Cruz helped define the division with his distinctive movement and wrestling-based approach, while Dillashaw enjoyed two championship reigns during his UFC career. Dvalishvili, meanwhile, has built his reputation through relentless pressure and an exceptional work rate.
For Sterling, comparing fighters across different eras makes the debate even more complicated, particularly when technical ability, championship reigns and overall accomplishments are weighed against one another.
“But he's definitely in the conversation. And if you want to talk about technique, again, his technique is probably one of the best out of everyone who's done it,” Sterling said of Yan.
“But if you're looking at the eras, I mean, you can't really dismiss a Dominick Cruz. And I'll let the fans decide it from there.”
