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UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan and #2 ranked contender Aljamain Sterling traded barbs on Twitter.

After defeating Jose Aldo at UFC 251, Petr Yan named his next opponent. The Russian fighter wants to face off against Aljamain Sterling. Sterling last fought at UFC 250, a match in which he choked out Cory Sandhagen in round one.

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Despite defeating some of the best contenders in the division, Sterling did not get a title shot. Recently, Sterling uploaded a video to hype himself up. The champion noticed it and responded with a tweet of his own.

Watch: “Petr Yan Get Ready Baby” – Aljamain Sterling Releases a Jaw-Dropping Promo

Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan exchange words

Sterling fired back at Yan. The American fighter said that Dana White is protecting Yan from him. Additionally, he told the Russian to get to training soon.

Yan did not give up. “No Mercy” responded with another tweet. He said that maybe Dana White thinks he (Aljamain) is not a draw, as the video — that Sterling uploaded — shows White changing his words by the end of the clip. Moreover, Yan told Sterling to keep trying.

Yan is an exciting fighter and fans want to see him fight Sterling soon. However, they will have to wait for a few months as Yan plans to return in October.

“I think October will be a perfect time,” Yan told the reporters at UFC 251.

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“I want to rest now and recover, I want to go back to my homeland and see my family, and then it’s the work of my management team. In my first 18 months with the UFC, I took six fights and never said no to an offer. You’ll probably find out, soon.”

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As of now, Yan is on a ten-fight win streak. His last loss came through Magomed Magomedov in 2016. The Russian has not tasted defeat for the past four years. Sterling, on the other hand, is on a five-fight win streak. He suffered a brutal knockout loss to the current #1 contender Marlon Moraes in 2018 and has not lost since.

Who do you think will win a match between Yan and Sterling?