In 2021, Petr Yan lost to Aljamain Sterling after being disqualified for an illegal strike, losing his bantamweight title. This event caused a tectonic shift in the division and still resonates painfully in the hearts of Russian fans. The two fighters exchanged heated words on social media for a long time, and “No Mercy” failed to win the rematch against Aljo, while Sterling defended his title three times. Several years later, the longtime rivals will face each other again, but this time as coaches on the ALF Global Reality project.
What is ALF Global Reality and who became the coaches for the first season?
ALF Global Reality is a reality show created by Hype FC founder Alfredo Auditore. It’s a unique take on the popular UFC program The Ultimate Fighter – fighters live together in a villa in Thailand, compete in a Grand Prix, and are trained by star coaches. It can be said that this is a reboot of the project, as Alfredo’s brainchild previously aired under the name Hype Reality. It’s worth noting that the show actively incorporates elements from the world of pop-MMA – clashes, insults, provocations, press conferences, and so on.
After leaving Hype FC, Auditore decided to raise the level of interest in the new project by inviting stars not from Russian MMA, but from the global MMA scene – Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling. Previously, Merab Dvalishvili was supposed to be one of the coaches, but he declined.
Yan and Sterling are an interesting choice for the coaching lineup, especially considering their long-standing battles – both inside the octagon and in the media space. The only potential hurdle could be the language barrier.
Petr Yan gifts Aljamain Sterling an Oscar Award for his disqualification win in 2021 to kickoff their new reality show ‘ALF Global Reality’ in Thailand. 😅 pic.twitter.com/Fywr8iL7Q9
— Parry Punch (@ParryPunchNews) February 2, 2025
The conflict between Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling has been ongoing since 2020
The rivalry between the two former champions began when Yan won the title in 2020. “No Mercy” knocked out Jose Aldo and became the champion. Sterling was ranked number one, making this fight the most logical matchup in the division. Initially, they were supposed to fight in December at UFC 256, but Yan withdrew from the bout. Sterling claimed that the champion hadn’t had enough time to clear himself of doping.
They fought in March 2021 at UFC 259. In the fourth round, for some reason, Yan listened to advice from his corner and landed an illegal knee strike, leaving Sterling unable to continue the fight. The American made every effort to show that he didn’t understand where he was or what was happening to him, but we won’t judge too harshly – it’s hard to know how someone feels after taking a knee to the head.
a breakdown of one of Aljamain Sterling’s takedowns on Petr Yan 🔥 pic.twitter.com/0FUkcwXDbc
— Patrick McCorry (@Patrick_McCorry) July 28, 2022
Sterling became the champion, after which Yan wished him well and called for a logical rematch. However, “Funk Master” decided to undergo neck surgery and took time to recover. This sparked a fierce scandal on social media, with Yan and Sterling exchanging all sorts of insults.
After the surgery, Sterling promised to return in the fall of 2021, to which Yan responded, “This clown won’t fight in October.” The Russian turned out to be right – Aljo wasn’t ready in time for UFC 267, and Petr fought Cory Sandhagen for the interim title. Yan won and became the mandatory challenger, calling the champion a “cowardly cheat” in the process.
Insults flew from both sides, and the rematch was postponed several times before finally taking place at UFC 273 in April 2022. Sterling prepared like a man possessed, showed incredible form before the tournament, and delivered an excellent performance, winning the first three rounds. Thus, Sterling remained champion, closing the chapter with a 2-0 score.
Yan continued to take jabs at the American, but in October 2022, before UFC 280, they shook hands and had a brief conversation. Sterling called Petr an “overrated fighter” but supported the idea of organizing a rematch between Yan and Dvalishvili in 2025. Perhaps some fans were hoping for a trilogy between Yan and Sterling after they both lost their titles, but instead of meeting in the USA, UAE, or Saudi Arabia, they’ll face off in Thailand – this time not as fighters, but as coaches.
Why the Idea of Having Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling is Good but Doomed
Filming for ALF Global Reality began on February 2 in Thailand. Yan and Sterling have already met and talked. “No Mercy” presented an “Oscar” to the American fighter, and they recreated their legendary moment from 2021.
Petr Yan reunites with Aljamain Sterling and hands him an “Oscar” 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/8epemDQHBn
— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) February 2, 2025
Bringing longtime rivals as coaches to a reality show is a solid idea. Yan likely hasn’t forgotten the events of four years ago and still considers Sterling a good actor.
However, “No Mercy” is not fluent enough in English for smooth communication, and Sterling doesn’t speak Russian. How will the communication between the coaches work? How will Aljo interact with the team? After all, Yan and Sterling are supposed to train fighters for upcoming battles. ALF Global Reality is a sports reality show.
Aljamain has never participated in TUF, he doesn’t know what it’s like to live in a house with fighters, and he is unfamiliar with elements of Russian pop-MMA. All the controversial drama of the project will quickly fade away in translation. We’ve already seen something similar in Hardcore – HFC Fight Show, where Luke Rockhold and Tyron Woodley were coaches. Their arguments with fighters looked strange and even comical.
Filming has begun, and we will likely see the first episodes this summer. The same familiar faces are in the arena—Zalimkhan Yusupov, Bayram Kakhromanov, Shamil Galimov, Mohammad Heibati, Farid Yadullaev, and other key figures in the pop-MMA industry. How Sterling will fit into a reality show with Russian flavor and Thai influences—we’ll find out soon enough.