Sterling reveals he nearly lost consciousness in Zalal guillotine choke

Aljamain Sterling admitted he came very close to being finished by a guillotine choke from Youssef Zalal during their fight. Sterling described the moment when he thought he would pass out from the submission attempt. Despite the danger, he refused to tap out, stating he couldn't give Zalal the satisfaction of forcing a submission. Sterling explained that he was willing to lose consciousness rather than verbally or physically submit. The revelation highlights how close the fight came to ending and Sterling's extreme competitive mindset in refusing to give up.