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  • ‘Masterclass’ – Fighters And Fans Jawdrop, Extol Petr Yan As He Dominates Merab Dvalishvili To Become Two-Time UFC Bantamweight Champion At UFC 323

    ‘Masterclass’ – Fighters And Fans Jawdrop, Extol Petr Yan As He Dominates Merab Dvalishvili To Become Two-Time UFC Bantamweight Champion At UFC 323

    Merab Dvalishvili looked to make more history, and it ended up biting him in the backside. Petr Yan put on a star performance unlike anyone ever has against Dvalishvili, winning on the scorecards and becoming a two-time UFC bantamweight champion in the main event of UFC 323.

    Yan looked to bring the fight to Dvalishvili from the beginning, and it seemed to work. Yan’s pressure allowed him to go toe-to-toe with anything Dvalishvili threw at him in the first and preventing any successful takedowns from the defending champ in the first. Yan added in a strong right hand that busted Dvalishvili open.

    Yan continued to find success in the second round with his jab. He even scored a takedown on Dvalishvili, which resulted in an impressive scrambling trade between the two men. Even as Dvalishvili looked for takedowns late in the round, while adding in jabs, Yan continued to defend.

    Yan looked to bring the pressure again and tie Dvalishvili up, scoring a takedown. Then, Dvalishvili picked up Yan as he did Cejudo before slamming Yan to the mat. Yan got up quickly, though he was the victim of another quick mat return. Yan, however, managed to hurt Dvalishvili again, busting him open again and rocking him with a body kick.

    Dvalishvili threatened a guillotine choke early in the fourth round, but Yan was able to work his way out of the submission. Yan continued to show off takedown defense against Dvalishvili’s consistent takedown efforts, and Yan continued to damage him with his punching. Yan continued to hurt Dvalishvili with body shots

    Yan’s striking continued to find its mark in the fifth round, locking up the scorecards and the bantamweight gold for Yan.

    Petr Yan Regains Bantamweight Title With Upset Of Merab Dvalishvili At UFC 323

    This was a rematch from their UFC Las Vegas main event in March 2023, which Dvalishvili won via decision.

    Since then, Yan had won three straight to earn the rematch and title shot tonight, defeating Song Yadong, Deiveson Figueiredo, and Marcus McGhee.

    Yan became bantamweight champion the first time by finishing Jose Aldo at UFC 251. He then lost the championship via DQ to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259. He’d defeat Cory Sandhagen for interim gold at UFC 267 but lost an undisputed championship rematch with Sterling at UFC 273.

    Dvalishvili tastes defeat for the first time since dropping his first two UFC bouts in 2017-18. He originally won the title by defeating Sean O’Malley at Noche UFC 2: UFC 306. He had retained the title against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311, O’Malley at UFC 316, and Sandhagen at UFC 320.

  • UFC 323 Results & Highlights: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan (6PM ET)

    UFC 323 takes place tonight from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    In the main event, bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili defends his title against former champion Petr Yan. While in the co-main event, flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja puts his belt on the line against Joshua Van.

    Elsewhere on the main card, Brandon Moreno faces Tatsuro Taira in a flyweight matchup; Henry Cejudo meets Payton Talbott in a bantamweight clash; and Jan Błachowicz takes on Bogdan Guskov at light heavyweight.

    Catch all the UFC 323 results and highlights as they happen below!

    Main Card: 10PM ET, PPV

    • Bantamweight title: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan
    • Flyweight title: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Joshua Van
    • Flyweight: Brandon Moreno vs. Tatsuro Taira
    • Bantamweight: Henry Cejudo vs. Payton Talbott
    • Light Heavyweight: Jan Błachowicz vs. Bogdan Guskov

    Preliminary Card: 8PM ET, ESPNews/FX/ESPN

    • Lightweight: Grant Dawson vs. Manuel Torres
    • Lightweight: Terrance McKinney vs. Chris Duncan
    • Women’s Flyweight: Maycee Barber vs. Karine Silva
    • Lightweight: Nazim Sadykhov vs. Farés Ziam

    Early Preliminary Card: 6PM ET, (ESPN+/Disney+/FX

    • Catchweight: Marvin Vettori vs. Brunno Ferreira
    • Lightweight: Edson Barboza vs. Jalin Turner
    • Light Heavyweight: Iwo Baraniewski vs. Ibo Aslan
    • Middleweight: Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Antonio Trocoli
    • Catchweight: Muhammad Naimov vs. Mairon Santos
  • What’s Next After UFC 322? Full Confirmed UFC 323 Main Card For Las Vegas On December 6

    What’s Next After UFC 322? Full Confirmed UFC 323 Main Card For Las Vegas On December 6

    UFC 322 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering, UFC 323 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    The promotion was in New York City last week, where Madison Square Garden played host to a number of intriguing matchups for its 12th numbered event of the year. Of note were headline wins for Islam Makhachev and Valentina Shevchenko, as well as important victories for Michael Morales, Carlos Prates, and Benoit Saint-Denis.

    While the aftermath of the November 15 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the welterweight and women’s flyweight title pictures to the bantamweight and flyweight championship conversations.

    At UFC 323, which takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on December 6, Merab Dvalishvili will defend the UFC bantamweight championship against Petr Yan.

    This will be a rematch of their first encounter in March 2023, which Dvalishvili won by decision. Since then, Dvalishvili defeated Henry Cejudo before besting Sean O’Malley at Noche UFC 2: UFC 306 to capture the bantamweight title. He’s made successful title defenses against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311, O’Malley at UFC 316, and Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320. A win at UFC 323 would make Dvalishvili the first champion in UFC history to defend the title successfully four times in one calendar year.

    Since the loss to Dvalishvili, Yan has won three straight, picking up wins over Song Yadong, Deiveson Figueiredo, and Marcus McGhee.

    Stakes will also be high in the co-main event, as Alexandre Pantoja defends the UFC flyweight championship against Joshua Van. Pantoja won the championship by defeating Brandon Moreno at UFC 290, and he has since successfully defended against Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg, Kai Asakura, and Kai Kara-France. Van has won five straight and is 8-1 in the Octagon. His 2025 has seen him earn a decision over Rei Tsuruya at UFC 313, score a highlight finish of Bruno Silva at UFC 316, and earn an upset over then No. 1-ranked Royval in a highlight fight at UFC 317.

    Moreno, Cejudo, Blachowicz Set The Stage For Bantamweight Title Headliner At UFC 323

    Before Dvalishvili and Pantoja make their way out to defend their titles, several names will look to make their own statements on the main card for UFC 323.

    This includes the aforementioned Moreno, who will be doing with Tatsuro Taira. After dropping the flyweight title to Pantoja, Moreno lost a close split decision to Brandon Royval, but he has since rebounded with wins over Amir Albazi and Steve Erceg. Taira also tasted defeat via split decision to Royval, which marked the first loss of Taira’s MMA career. He rebounded, however, with a submission of Hyun-sung Park in August.

    Henry Cejudo will also be featured on this card, as he takes on Payton Talbott. Though he’s a former simultaneous champion at flyweight and bantamweight, Cejudo has lost all three fights he’s had since coming out of retirement. This includes a technical decision loss to Song Yadong this past February. The highly-touted Talbott rebounded from his first professional loss with a decision win over Felipe Lima at UFC 317.

    The main card is scheduled to open with former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz taking on Bogdan Guskov. Blachowicz is 1-3-1 since dropping the light heavyweight title to Glover Teixeira at UFC 267. After just under two years away, Blachowicz returned this past March, dropping a decision to Carlos Ulberg. Guskov has won four straight since dropping his UFC debut, most recently knocking out Nikita Krylov at UFC Abu Dhabi in July.

    Those pairings have currently gotten the nod to feature on the main card over the likes of Marvin Vettori, Maycee Barber, and Edson Barboza, all of whom are expected to be featured players on the event’s preliminary card.

    See below for the UFC 323 lineup, as it stands.

    Main Card:

    • Bantamweight Championship: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan
    • Flyweight Championship: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Joshua Van
    • Flyweight: Brandon Moreno vs. Tatsuro Taira
    • Bantamweight: Henry Cejudo vs. Payton Talbott
    • Light Heavyweight: Jan Blachowicz vs. Bogdan Guskov

    Preliminary Card (Order TBA):

    • Featherweight: Muhammad Naimov vs. Mairon Santos
    • Middleweight: Marvin Vettori vs. Brunno Ferreira
    • Women’s Flyweight: Maycee Barber vs. Karine Silva
    • Lightweight: Edson Barboza vs. Jalin Turner
    • Light Heavyweight: Iwo Baraniewski vs. İbo Aslan
    • Lightweight: Grant Dawson vs. Manuel Torres
    • Lightweight: Terrance McKinney vs. Chris Duncan
    • Middleweight: Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Antonio Trocoli
    • Lightweight: Nazim Sadykhov vs. Fares Ziam
  • Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan, Alexandre Pantoja vs. Joshua Van To Headline UFC 323 On December 6

    Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan, Alexandre Pantoja vs. Joshua Van To Headline UFC 323 On December 6

    The UFC will close out it’s 2025 pay-per-view schedule, as well as its era of ESPN+ pay-per-views, with UFC 323, which will take place on December 6 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and feature two title fights.

    In the main event, Merab Dvalishvili will get his wish — an opportunity to become the first UFC champion to successfully defend his title four times in a calendar year. To accomplish this, he will need to get through former champion Petr Yan.

    Dvalishvili and Yan previously met in the main event of UFC Las Vegas in March 2024, with Dvalishvili picking up a unanimous decision win.

    Since then, Dvalishvili defeated Sean O’Malley for the bantamweight title at Noche UFC 2: UFC 306, and he has successfully retained the gold against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311, O’Malley at UFC 316, and, recently, Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320.

    Yan has won three straight, scoring decisions over Song Yadong, Deiveson Figueiredo, and Marcus McGhee. Yan won the bantamweight title with a finish of Jose Aldo at UFC 251 but lost the title on an infamous disqualification loss to Aljamain Sterling. He’d win the interim title by defeating Sandhagen but lost an undisputed title rematch with Sterling.

    UFC 323 To Be Headlined By Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan, Alexandre Pantoja vs. Joshua Van

    As spoiled days ago at UFC Rio, the flyweight title will be on the line in the co-main event, as Alexandre Pantoja defends against Joshua Van.

    Since winning the flyweight title from Brandon Moreno at UFC 290, Pantoja has retained the gold against Brandon Royval at UFC 296, Steve Erceg at UFC 301, Kai Asakura at UFC 310, and Kai Kara-France at UFC 317. Van, who is 8-1 since joining the UFC, has had a major climb up the UFC’s flyweight ranks in 2025. Van defeated Rei Tsuruya at UFC 313, finished Bruno Silva at UFC 316, and won a short-notice war with Royval at UFC 317 to earn the title shot.

    UFC 323 will also feature Moreno in action against Tatsuro Taira, in a bout that could have implications on the challenger of the Pantoja vs. Van winner.

    UFC 323 will also see former flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo in action against Payton Talbott and former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz taking on Bogdan Guskov.

    All of the announced fights for UFC 323 so far can be found below:

    • Bantamweight Championship: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan
    • Flyweight Championship: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Joshua Van
    • Flyweight: Brandon Moreno vs. Tatsuro Taira
    • Bantamweight: Henry Cejudo vs. Payton Talbott
    • Light Heavyweight: Jan Błachowicz vs. Bogdan Guskov
    • Middleweight: Marvin Vettori vs. Brunno Ferreira
    • Women’s Flyweight: Maycee Barber vs. Karine Silva
    • Middleweight: Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Antonio Trocoli
    • Lightweight: Terrance McKinney vs. Chris Duncan
    • Lightweight: Fares Ziam vs. Nazim Sadykhov
  • “Petr Yan vs. The Winner Of Merab/Sandhagen. Book It” – Fans & Fighters React To Petr Yan’s Callout After Defeating Marcus McGhee At UFC Abu Dhabi

    “Petr Yan vs. The Winner Of Merab/Sandhagen. Book It” – Fans & Fighters React To Petr Yan’s Callout After Defeating Marcus McGhee At UFC Abu Dhabi

    Petr Yan is making a statement that he wants to re-match with Merab Dvalishvili and gain back the UFC bantamweight title, and he emphasized that with a victory over Marcus McGhee in the co-main event of UFC Abu Dhabi.

    Yan brought out his striking early, landing several low kicks and working combinations. McGhee did have his moments with his own combinations; however, Yan rocked McGhee late in the round with a left hook.

    McGhee tried to push the pace early in the second, but Yan landed a right hand that busted him open. Yan brought out a mixture of striking attacks, working McGhee over in terms of volume and variety.

    Yan continued t pressure in the third round, going on to earn 29-28 scores on all three judges’ cards. Yan then called out the winner of the upcoming bantamweight title fight between Merab Dvalishvili and Cory Sandhagen.

    Petr Yan Defeats Marcus McGhee By Decision In UFC Abu Dhabi Co-Main Event

    Yan has now won three straight, also scoring victories over Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo last year.

    This marked just McGhee’s second loss as a pro, dropping him to 10-2. He had won his first four UFC bouts, finishing Journey Newson, JP Buys, and Gastón Bolaños, before a decision win over Jonathan Martinez at UFC 309.

  • Petr Yan Slams Sean O’Malley For UFC 316 Submission Loss To Merab Dvalishvili: ‘Back In Line, Buddy’

    Petr Yan Slams Sean O’Malley For UFC 316 Submission Loss To Merab Dvalishvili: ‘Back In Line, Buddy’

    Petr Yan believes the UFC’s decision to grant Sean O’Malley an immediate rematch against Merab Dvalishvili had more to do with hype than merit.

    O’Malley challenged reigning bantamweight champion Dvalishvili in the UFC 316 headliner at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, where he ultimately suffered the first submission loss of his professional career.

    “Suga” entered the octagon with a noticeably more measured and tactical approach, showcasing improved takedown defense by stuffing six of Dvalishvili’s first eight attempts. But true to form, the Georgian powerhouse marched forward with trademark relentlessness, blending calculated pressure with crisp, well-timed striking.

    By the third round, “The Machine” had drained O’Malley’s gas tank with an unrelenting barrage of takedown attempts. Sensing the opportunity, Dvalishvili locked in a vicious north-south choke, forcing his opponent to tap and successfully making his second title defense.

    Merab Dvalishvili first claimed the bantamweight title by decisively dethroning Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 last September with a dominant unanimous decision.

    Image: @ufc/X

    Petr Yan Calls Out Sean O’Malley for Getting Ahead Without Earning It

    Petr Yan didn’t hold back on social media following Sean O’Malley’s failed attempt to reclaim the bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316. The former champion took aim at his old rival, suggesting that O’Malley was gifted an unearned title shot.

    “This is what happens when you’re handed things you didn’t earn. Back in line, buddy @SugaSeanMMA,” Petr Yan wrote on X.

    The tension between O’Malley and Yan dates back to their razor-thin clash at UFC 280 in October 2022, where “No Mercy” suffered a highly controversial split decision loss — one that continues to stir debate to this day.

    With consecutive losses to Merab Dvalishvili, “Suga” now sits at 10-3 (1 NC) record in the UFC.

    Meanwhile, Yan, currently riding a two-fight win streak, is reportedly slated to face Marcus McGhee at UFC Abu Dhabi on July 26, set to take place at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island, United Arab Emirates. “No Mercy” boasts a 10-4 record inside the Octagon and is aiming to reestablish himself in the title mix.

    Image: @petr_yan/Instagram
  • Petr Yan Returns At UFC Abu Dhabi On July 26 To Face Budding Bantamweight Contender

    Petr Yan Returns At UFC Abu Dhabi On July 26 To Face Budding Bantamweight Contender

    Petr Yan is reportedly staying active in his quest to reclaim the UFC bantamweight crown.

    According to a recent report from Cageside Press, Yan is set to return to the Octagon on July 26 at UFC Abu Dhabi, where he’ll face rising bantamweight contender Marcus McGhee at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island, United Arab Emirates.

    “No Mercy” last stepped into the Octagon at UFC Macau in November, where he secured a dominant unanimous decision victory over former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo, marking his second straight win following a strong performance against Song Yadong at UFC 299.

    The back-to-back triumphs marked a crucial turnaround for the former 135-pound champion, who had previously endured a three-fight skid, including a split decision loss in his title rematch with Aljamain Sterling at UFC 273 in April 2022. Yan boasts a 10-4 record inside the Octagon, with four of those victories earned by knockout.

    Meanwhile, McGhee is riding a wave of momentum after a commanding unanimous decision victory over Jonathan Martinez at UFC 309 last November. Since making his promotional debut in April 2023, “The Maniac” has been unstoppable, boasting an impressive four-fight winning streak, with three of those wins coming by finishes.

    Images: @petr_yan/@maniac_mcgheemma/Instagram

    What Does the UFC Abu Dhabi Lineup Currently Look Like?

    UFC Abu Dhabi will be headlined by a pivotal middleweight showdown as former champion Robert Whittaker is set to square off against fast-rising contender Reinier de Ridder.

    Here are the officially confirmed matchups for the upcoming Fight Night event:

    • Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier de Ridder; middleweight
    • Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault; middleweight
    • Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee; bantamweight
    • Nikita Krylov vs. Bogdan Guskov; light heavyweight
    • Asu Almabayev vs. Ramazan Temirov; flyweight
    • Ibo Aslan vs. Billy Elekana; light heavyweight
  • Sean O’Malley Shuts Down Petr Yan’s Rematch Request, Keeps Sights On Merab Dvalishvili

    Sean O’Malley Shuts Down Petr Yan’s Rematch Request, Keeps Sights On Merab Dvalishvili

    Sean O’Malley appears to have nothing in his crosshairs except redemption opposite UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili next year.

    O’Malley was thrust off the throne in emphatic fashion by Dvalishvili in the main event of UFC 306 at the Sphere this past September, bringing an end to his reign in its second defense.

    “Sugar” subsequently headed for surgery to repair a torn labrum and is targeting a return in the first or second quarter of 2025. And he was recently called out by a familiar foe for his comeback fight.

    “I would lean towards a rematch with Sean O’Malley,” Petr Yan told Ariel Helwani. “I don’t know what’s going on with him. He’s out for nine or 12 months, so maybe he got pregnant.”

    Yan’s comments come after he made it two wins from two in 2024 by outpointing Deiveson Figueiredo in Macau. While he’s gone back and forth with Dvalishvili over a rematch for the title, Umar Nurmagomedov is widely seen as the deserving next in line at 135 pounds.

    With that in mind, the Russian may need to look elsewhere for his next assignment. And judging by O’Malley’s reaction to his request for a redo, his door has been firmly shut for “No Mercy.”

    “I predict it will be early Q2. Against Merab. Thanks for asking,” O’Malley wrote in his response on X.

    O’Malley has repeatedly outlined his intention to return straight into a shot at avenging his decision defeat to “The Machine.”

    With the timeline for Nurmagomedov’s expected maiden title opportunity still uncertain as the year approaches its conclusion, it remains to be seen what lies ahead for both O’Malley and Yan in 2025.

  • Daniel Cormier Pitches Next Fights For O’Malley, Yan, Figueiredo At Bantamweight

    Daniel Cormier Pitches Next Fights For O’Malley, Yan, Figueiredo At Bantamweight

    Former UFC double champion Daniel Cormier has some matchups in mind for the bantamweight division in 2025, including the next outings for Sean O’Malley and Petr Yan.

    The 135-pound weight class is entering the new year with a fresh champion at the helm and a number of hungry contenders chasing him down.

    Merab Dvalishvili achieved his title ambitions on MMA’s biggest stage by dethroning O’Malley inside the Sphere this past September. While “Suga” eyes a shot at redemption in his return from injury next March or April, Umar Nurmagomedov sits as the consensus number one contender.

    In spite of the Georgian’s ongoing attempts to push that matchup away, the Dagestani has plenty of support when it comes to his claim to an opportunity, including from Cormier.

    During a recent episode of his Good Guy/Bad Guy show alongside Chael Sonnen on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Cormier pointed to Dvalishvili vs. Nurmagomedov as the logical next title fight in the bantamweight division.

    And in terms of how the rest of the top names should be matched up, “DC” has some ideas for that too.

    “There is a bunch of guys at 135 that need to be matched up. So I figured, it’s time for some matchmaking,” Cormier began. “For the title…easy, Merab vs. Umar. … Then I go Yan vs. Sandhagen (2) as my second fight, Chael. Because then it gives you a clear number one contender.

    “Sean O’Malley needs a big fight, right? You know who else needs a big fight? Henry Cejudo. These guys have a beef, an easy beef to sell…I say put Sean O’Malley in there with the former champion Henry Cejudo. That means more than a win over Cory Sandhagen,” Cormier continued. “After that, I’m going Figgy (Deiveson Figueiredo) vs. Dominick Cruz. And my last one, Chael, we’ve got to give Mario Bautista a chance. … I’m giving him (Marlon) ‘Chito’ Vera.”

    It remains to be seen whether or not the UFC higher-ups will share Cormier’s view of the division. For now, it doesn’t appear the champ himself does.

    Having previously pointed to others as more worthy of challenging for his gold than Nurmagomedov, Dvalishvili most recently called for a rematch with Yan following “No Mercy’s” decision win over Figueiredo in Macau last weekend.

  • Cory Sandhagen Suggests Petr Yan Rematch In 2025: ‘I Still Want To Get That One Back’

    Cory Sandhagen Suggests Petr Yan Rematch In 2025: ‘I Still Want To Get That One Back’

    UFC bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen has become the latest to express interest in running it back with ex-champion Petr Yan next year.

    Yan continued his winning form at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Macau, China, where he headlined in defense of his position on the 135-pound ladder against former two-time flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo.

    Having snapped a three-fight losing skid with a victory over Song Yadong this past March, “No Mercy” got back to a win streak at the expense of “Deus Da Guerra,” whom he defeated by way of a lopsided unanimous decision.

    Among others, Yan’s display caught the eye of a familiar foe…

    In a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sandhagen broke down Yan’s victorious performance against Figueiredo.

    During it, “The Sandman” pointed to a rematch opposite the Russian as a possible next assignment for him in 2025, having fallen short of staking his claim for a title shot when sharing the cage with Umar Nurmagomedov this past August.

    Sandhagen previously lost to Yan in their interim title fight, which played out at UFC 267 in Abu Dhabi just over three years ago.

    “Congrats to Yan, maybe we’ll do it next,” Sandhagen said. “I don’t really know what the division’s going on. I haven’t really heard too much. I was hoping to hear probably sometime next week about the direction that they are going to go in because I know they were waiting on this fight to play out.

    “Congrats to Yan. I still want to get that one back,” Sandhagen continued. “We’ll see if it’ll be next or not.”

    Yan has already responded to one of his former opponents requesting a second dance, none other than the bantamweight champ himself.

    In his continued trend of calling to face top contenders not named Umar Nurmagomedov, Dvalishvili suggested his first title defense in 2025 should come against the man whom he dominantly 50-45’d on the scorecards last year.

  • Sean O’Malley Slams Merab Dvalishvili Pushing For Petr Yan Rematch: ‘Sh*tting Himself Terrified Of Umar’

    Sean O’Malley Slams Merab Dvalishvili Pushing For Petr Yan Rematch: ‘Sh*tting Himself Terrified Of Umar’

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley hasn’t been impressed with the actions of Merab Dvalishvili since he ascended to the throne this past September.

    Dvalishvili achieved his title ambitions on MMA’s biggest stage inside the unique surroundings of the Sphere, where he comfortably got the better of O’Malley across five rounds.

    In attendance was Umar Nurmagomedov, the consensus number one contender who staked his claim for a shot against the Noche UFC main event winner when he defeated Cory Sandhagen in Abu Dhabi the previous month.

    But the Dagestani hasn’t been getting a positive response from the champ ever since, with “The Machine” instead first branding Deiveson Figueiredo a more worthy challenger before pitching dates to run it back with both O’Malley and Petr Yan.

    The latter caught Dvalishvili’s attention when he outpointed Figueiredo in this past weekend’s UFC Macau main event. The Georgian has called for “No Mercy” to be the opponent in his first defense at UFC 313 next March.

    During a recent episode of his TimboSugarShow alongside coach Tim Welch, O’Malley joined plenty in calling out Dvalishvili’s push to once again face Yan, whom he convincingly defeated across five rounds in March 2023.

    “Sugar” echoed the sentiments of Nurmagomedov himself, branding the newly crowned bantamweight kingpin “terrified” of him.

    “Umar wants to fight Merab in January. Petr wants to fight Merab in March. I want to fight Merab in April,” O’Malley said. “Merab is absolutely sh*tting himself terrified of Umar. He doesn’t want to fight Umar. Now he’s saying he wants to fight Petr. He wanted to fight me. Petr got 50-45’d to Merab.”

    It remains to be seen whether or not Nurmagomedov will indeed get his shot next. Be it a title opportunity or clash against another contender, the Dagestani has insisted on a return to action before he observes Ramadan in 2025.

    O’Malley, meanwhile, has made his intentions of pursuing redemption against Dvalishvili upon his recovery from labrum surgery next year clear.

    For now, though, the Georgian continues to campaign for a second dance opposite Yan.

  • Petr Yan On Getting Knocked Down By Deiveson Figueiredo: ‘I Got Lost For A Second’

    Petr Yan On Getting Knocked Down By Deiveson Figueiredo: ‘I Got Lost For A Second’

    Petr Yan may have swept the scorecards at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Macau, but his victory over Deiveson Figueiredo wasn’t without some adversity.

    Yan — a former undisputed and interim bantamweight champion on MMA’s biggest stage — continued his winning form this year at Saturday’s event inside the Galaxy Arena, where he made it two victories from two outings in 2024.

    The Russian headlined proceedings opposite ex-flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo, whom he comfortably outpointed across five rounds of memorable action. The lopsided scorecards, however, don’t completely tell the full story.

    “Deus Da Guerra” certainly had his fair share of success, even threatening a late comeback when he knocked “No Mercy” down in round four.

    During his post-fight press conference in Macau, Yan spoke about that moment while reflecting on his latest UFC triumph, admitting that the blow briefly left him “lost” in the cage.

    “I’m very glad that I won. Figueiredo is a really tough opponent, and he showed that he’s championship caliber,” Yan said. “When he landed this knockdown with his punch, I thought, ‘It’s not New Year’s yet but the fireworks have already started.’ Maybe I got lost for a little second.

    “But I recovered pretty fast and knew what was going on. This is a tough sport, anything can happen, so you have to be ready,” Yan continued. “You can’t relax at any second, everybody can surprise you even in the last second of a fight.”

    Fortunately for Yan — who has yet to be finished in his professional career — he was able to recover from the scare and finish strong en route to a convincing decision win. And with that, the former champ has likely maintained his #3 spot on the bantamweight ladder and reinserted himself into the title picture.

    While many have pointed to Umar Nurmagomedov as the deserving first in line to challenge newly crowned king Merab Dvalishvili, the Georgian was quick to accept Yan’s post-fight callout in Macau and even pitched a date for their rematch in 2025.

  • Merab Dvalishvili Reacts To Former Opponent Petr Yan’s Win & Callout At UFC Macau

    Merab Dvalishvili Reacts To Former Opponent Petr Yan’s Win & Callout At UFC Macau

    Petr Yan made a statement at UFC Macau, defeating Deiveson Figueiredo in the main event before calling for a rematch with current UFC Bantamweight hampion Merab Dvalishvili.

    Yan won a five-round decision, sweeping the scorecards against the ex-UFC flyweight champion. He then mentioned wanting a rematch with Dvalishvili and an opportunity to regain the bantamweight gold during his post-fight interview.

    “Before my fight, Merab [said] Deiveson Figueiredo [was the] No. 1 contender who deserved title fight,” Yan said. “Merab, what do you say now when I beat [the] No. 1 contender in my division? I want to do [a] rematch with Merab. Let’s get it.”

    Dvalishvili heard Yan’s callout and responded on social media, starting with praise of the UFC Macau main event and the Russian’s performance before expressing interest in the pair facing off at UFC 313 in Las Vegas on March 8.

    Merab Dvalishvili Open To Rematch With Petr Yan, Perhaps As Soon As UFC 313

    Dvalishvili and Yan met in the main event of UFC Las Vegas in March 2023, with the Georgian standout taking a five-round unanimous decision.

    That fight marked Yan’s third straight loss and fourth defeat in five fights, stemming back to him controversially dropping the bantamweight championship via disqualification to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259.

    “No Mercy” has since won a pair of fights in 2024, defeating Song Yadong at UFC 299 before his win over Figueiredo in Macau. Yan put on a striking clinic against “Deus Da Guerra,” and he even showed control on the ground the majority of the time he grappled with Figueiredo on the mat.

    Dvalishvili, following the win over Yan, went on to defeat Henry Cejudo at UFC 298 before scoring a decision over Sean O’Malley to capture the bantamweight championship at UFC 306 (Noche UFC).

  • ‘Give Him The O’Malley Rematch’ – Fans React To Petr Yan’s Vintage Striking Performance To Beat Deiveson Figueiredo At UFC Macau

    ‘Give Him The O’Malley Rematch’ – Fans React To Petr Yan’s Vintage Striking Performance To Beat Deiveson Figueiredo At UFC Macau

    Petr Yan made a statement that he wants the UFC bantamweight championship back, making his case with a dominant decision win over Deiveson Figueiredo in the main event of UFC Macau.

    Figueiredo appeared to be on path to a strong start when he scored a takedown in the fight’s opening minute. Yan, however, survived his opponent’s thoughts of a potential early submission to control the action on the ground and get into top position. The Russian then returned the fight to the feet and outstruck the former flyweight champion from there.

    “Deus Da Guerra” managed to land some very strong shots in the second round, but Yan continued to keep busy with effective activity as the two had a close, competitive striking clinic in that five-minute span. “No Mercy,” however, took complete control of the fight in the third round, seemingly landing at will with brutal strikes and even dropping Figueiredo at one point.

    Yan continued to land at will and pressure, doing damage, but Figueiredo brought a scare when he appeared to damage Yan with a body shot in the closing seconds of the round. The Brazilian tried to pursue the ex-bantamweight kingpin and go after a late finish that he needed, but the time in the round expired.

    Petr Yan Dominantes Deiveson Figueiredo In Striking Battle That Topped UFC Macau

    Yan has now won back-to-back fights, having previously defeated Song Yadong at UFC 299 earlier this year. Prior to 2024, the Russian had been on a three-fight losing skid that began with him losing a rematch against Aljamain Sterling. The run also included a controversial decision loss against Sean O’Malley and a lopsided defeat to current bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili.

    Meanwhile, Saturday marked Figueiredo’s first loss since moving up to bantamweight. He had been 3-0 at 135 pounds after losing the UFC flyweight title for the second time. Figueiredo defeated Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt, and Marlon “Chito” Vera prior to the Macau event.

  • UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Petr Yan Outstrikes Deiveson Figueiredo

    UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Petr Yan Outstrikes Deiveson Figueiredo

    UFC Fight Night: Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo took place in the early hours of Saturday morning, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    After a pay-per-view inside the prestigious Madison Square Garden — and before focus turns to the UFC’s final numbered event of the year in Las Vegas — the MMA leader was on the road to stage a card in Macau for the first time in a decade.

    Headlining at the Galaxy Arena were two former champions in ex-bantamweight kingpin Yan and a two-time occupier of the flyweight throne in Figueiredo. With both men coming off wins over top-10 opposition, a shot at Merab Dvalishvili’s 135-pound gold was discussed as being in store for Saturday’s victor.

    That turned out to be Yan, with “No Mercy” putting in a vintage striking performance to sweep the scorecards.

    Elsewhere on the UFC Fight Night lineup, Yan Xiaonan emerged victorious from her first outing since falling short of the title against Zhang Weili earlier this year, Carlos Ulberg got the better of fellow hard-hitting light heavyweight contender Volkan Oezdemir, and the Road to UFC finals delivered some memorable moments on the prelims.

    With that said, see below for the full results, followed by all the best highlights.

    UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Figueiredo Results & Highlights

    Main Card:

    • Bantamweight Main Event: Petr Yan def. Deiveson Figueiredo via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
    • Women’s Strawweight Co-Main Event: Yan Xiaonan def. Tabatha Ricci via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
    • Welterweight: Muslim Salikhov def. Song Kenan via KO (spinning wheel kick): R1, 3:49
    • Women’s Flyweight: Gabriella Fernandes def. Wang Cong via submission (rear-naked choke): R2, 3:49
    • Light Heavyweight: Carlos Ulberg def. Volkan Oezdemir via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
    • Light Heavyweight: Zhang Mingyang def. Ozzy Diaz via TKO (elbow & punches): R1, 2:25

    Preliminary Card:

    • Road to UFC Bantamweight Final: SuYoung You def. Jieleyisi Baergeng via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
    • Road to UFC Flyweight Final: DongHun Choi def. Kiru Singh Sahota via KO (punch): R1, 2:36
    • Road to UFC Women’s Strawweight Final: Ming Shi def. Xiaocan Feng via KO (head kick): R3, 0:46
    • Flyweight: Carlos Hernandez def. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
    • Flyweight: Lone’er Kavanagh def. Jose Ochoa via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
    • Bantamweight: Long Xiao def. Quang Le via KO (punches): R3, 1:28
    • Lightweight: Nikolas Motta def. Hayisaer Maheshate via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

    Nikolas Motta Def. Hayisaer Maheshate

    Long Xiao Def. Quang Le

    Lone’er Kavanagh Def. Jose Ochoa

    Carlos Hernandez Def. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel

    Ming Shi Def. Xiaocan Feng

    DongHun Choi Def. Kiru Singh Sahota

    Zhang Mingyang Def. Ozzy Diaz

    Carlos Ulberg Def. Volkan Oezdemir

    Gabriella Fernandes Def. Wang Cong

    https://twitter.com/oliveirafan999/status/1860298121135423761

    Muslim Salikhov Def. Song Kenan

    Yan Xiaonan Def. Tabatha Ricci

    Petr Yan Def. Deiveson Figueiredo

    https://twitter.com/FIGHTZSS/status/1860325240682815892
  • UFC Fight Night: Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    Before heading back to Las Vegas to stage its final pay-per-view of the year at T-Mobile Arena on Dec. 7, the mixed martial arts leader has Fight Night business to attend to across the world in Macau.

    The main event presents an opportunity for ex-flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo to further climb the ranks at 135 pounds. “Deus Da Guerra’s” fourth outing in the division will come against former titleholder Petr Yan, who is looking to stake his claim for a chance to regain the title off the back of a key win over Song Yadong earlier this year.

    Before that, the likes of former strawweight title challenger Yan Xiaonan, will all be in action, flyweight prospect Wang Cong, and hard-hitting light heavyweights Volkan Oezdemir and Carlos Ulberg will be in action.

    UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Figueiredo Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Figueiredo takes place on Saturday, November 23, at the Galaxy Arena in Macau, China. The main card begins at 6 a.m. ET/3 a.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT.

    Check out the full results from the weigh-ins below!

    Main Card:

    • Bantamweight Main Event: Petr Yan (135.5lbs) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (135lbs)
    • Women’s Strawweight Co-Main Event: Yan Xiaonan (116lbs) vs. Tabatha Ricci (115.5lbs)
    • Welterweight: Song Kenan (171lbs) vs. Muslim Salikhov (170.5lbs)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Wang Cong (126lbs) vs. Gabriella Fernandes (126lbs)
    • Light Heavyweight: Volkan Oezdemir (206lbs) vs. Carlos Ulberg (205.5lbs)
    • Light Heavyweight: Zhang Mingyang (205lbs) vs. Ozzy Diaz (205lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Road to UFC Bantamweight Final: SuYoung You (135.5lbs) vs. Jieleyisi Baergeng (235lbs)
    • Road to UFC Flyweight Final: Kiru Singh Sahota (126lbs) vs. DongHun Choi (125.5lbs)
    • Road to UFC Women’s Strawweight Final: Xiaocan Feng (115lbs) vs. Ming Shi (115.5lbs)
    • Flyweight: Nyamjargal Tumendemberel (125.5lbs) vs. Carlos Hernandez (125.5lbs)
    • Flyweight: Lone’er Kavanagh (126lbs) vs. Jose Ochoa (125lbs)
    • Bantamweight: Long Xiao (135lbs) vs. Le Quang (126lbs)
    • Lightweight: Maheshate Hayisaer (155.5lbs) vs. Nikolas Motta (155lbs)
  • Deiveson Figueiredo Says Petr Yan ‘Won’t Even Compare’ To Him In One Area

    Deiveson Figueiredo Says Petr Yan ‘Won’t Even Compare’ To Him In One Area

    Top five bantamweights meet for the first time in this weekend’s UFC Macau main event in what should be a fascinating clash of styles. When it comes to fighters who are always exciting to watch, former UFC champions Petr Yan and Deiveson Figueiredo have to be on that list.

    Both men are very well-rounded competitors but it’s no secret that they prefer to keep the fight standing the majority of the time. The idea of seeing Yan’s incredible combinations going up against the one-punch power of Figueiredo is enough to get fight fans tuning in from all over the world but the former flyweight king believes that he holds a huge advantage over his next opponent in one specific area.

    Since moving up to bantamweight following the conclusion of his four fights with Brandon Moreno, Figueiredo has beaten Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt and Marlon Vera. Though he chose to grapple against Garbrandt, where he secured the submission win at UFC 300, “Deus da Guerra” is usually happy to stand and strike because of the power he possesses and the speed advantage he has at 135-pounds.

    In a recent interview with Kevin Iole, the Brazilian was asked about Yan’s lack of finishes in his recent fights. Figueiredo responded by saying, via translator Fabiano Buskei, that he respects the striking of “No Mercy” and is looking forward to testing him there even though, in his opinion, he is levels above him in the grappling.

    “I did see the flaws and he poses a threat there on the kickboxing side but I mean, I won’t even compare his grappling to mine because I just think I’m so much better. I mean I’m a threat at grappling, he does not want to grapple with me. He’d get taken down and finished in that but I want to use my punching power and I want to knock him out in this fight.”    

  • Petr Yan: Nurmagomedov Not A Worthy Challenger, UFC Macau Main Event Is ‘No. 1 Contender’s Fight’ 

    Petr Yan: Nurmagomedov Not A Worthy Challenger, UFC Macau Main Event Is ‘No. 1 Contender’s Fight’ 

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan believes a victory this weekend should put him above Umar Nurmagomedov in the pecking order.

    Yan is set to headline Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Macau, as the promotion returns to the region for the first time in a decade. Inside the Galaxy Arena, “No Mercy” will do battle with ex-flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo.

    For Yan, the upcoming event marks the opportunity for him to secure a first win streak since he captured the 135-pound crown at the expense of José Aldo in 2020. He subsequently went on a difficult 1-4 run before bouncing back against Song Yadong at UFC 299 this past March.

    Figueiredo, meanwhile, has enjoyed a perfect start to life as bantamweight, winning all three of his fights to date and most recently getting past Marlon “Chito” Vera in comfortable fashion.

    That result left newly crowned champ Merab Dvalishvili branding “Deus Da Guerra” a more worthy first challenger to his reign than the consensus number one contender, Dagestan’s Nurmagomedov.

    And during an interview with the UFC ahead of his clash with Figueiredo in the “Las Vegas of the East,” Yan suggested that the Georgian’s stance — which he agrees with — could pave the way for his second dance with “The Machine” in 2025.

    “Deiveson is a former champ, and also Merab has been saying that he’s the only real deserving challenger for his belt,” Yan said through an interpreter. “So for me, it’s a good opportunity for me to get this position, to beat him and challenge for the belt instead of him.

    “I believe this is a No. 1 contender’s fight,” Yan continued. “Merab is currently champ, but I believe that he’s not ready to defend his title just yet, especially against Umar. It seems like he is avoiding him. Also, Umar, I believe he maybe needs a couple of good wins too. So, with a win over Deiveson, I believe that I can get back into the title picture and challenge for the belt again.”

    Yan fell to a three-fight losing skid in March 2023 when he was handily defeated across five rounds by Dvalishvili. But should he stall Figueiredo’s two-division ambitions in Macau this week, “No Mercy” is hoping to have the chance for redemption.

    Nurmagomedov would no doubt have something to say about that, however. He’s been widely branded next in line for a shot at the gold ever since he outpointed the highly regarded Cory Sandhagen in Abu Dhabi this past August.

  • VIDEO: Petr Yan & Deiveson Figueiredo Have First Faceoff Ahead Of UFC Macau Main Event

    VIDEO: Petr Yan & Deiveson Figueiredo Have First Faceoff Ahead Of UFC Macau Main Event

    Top bantamweights Petr Yan and Deiveson Figueiredo stood toe to toe just days out from their UFC Macau headliner.

    After staging its latest pay-per-view event inside the prestigious surroundings of Madison Square Garden this past weekend, the mixed martial arts leader is on the road for a return to the “Las Vegas of the East.”

    The Octagon is back in Macau — an autonomous region on the south coast of China — for the first time in a decade, with the Galaxy Arena playing host to a UFC Fight Night card on Nov. 23.

    The lineup will be topped by a key clash at 135 pounds, as ex-champion Yan looks to stall the two-division ambitions of former two-time flyweight kingpin Figueiredo.

    Ahead of the #3 and #5-ranked bantamweights colliding, the pair had their first faceoff on Tuesday after touching down for UFC Macau.

    Figueiredo has won all three of his fights since moving up from flyweight, most recently following wins over Rob Font and Cody Garbrandt with a convincing triumph over former title challenger Marlon “Chito” Vera.

    Yan, meanwhile, snapped his three-fight losing skid this year by getting the better of Song Yadong at UFC 299 in Miami this past March. The result marked his first taste of victory since interim title glory over Cory Sandhagen back in 2021.

    Elsewhere on Saturday’s UFC Macau lineup, Yan Xiaonan returns for the first time since her failed title bid to defend her ranking against Tabatha Ricci, while top-10 light heavyweight contender Volkan Oezdemir faces a fellow hard hitter in Carlos Ulberg.

  • Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo Set For UFC Fight Night In Macau On Nov. 23

    Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo Set For UFC Fight Night In Macau On Nov. 23

    The UFC’s return to Macau looks set to have high stakes in the bantamweight title picture.

    Mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is set to take the Octagon back to Macau — an autonomous region on the south coast of China — for the first time in a decade later this year, with the Galaxy Arena playing host to a UFC Fight Night card on November 23.

    And the lineup looks to have its first major addition in the form of a clash between former champions.

    Per Brazilian reporter Léo Guimaraes, ex-bantamweight kingpin Petr Yan (17-5) and former two-time flyweight titleholder Deiveson Figueiredo (24-3-1) are set to meet in a crucial showdown at 135 pounds in Macau.

    Yan, Figueiredo Expected To Battle For Potential UFC Title Shot In China

    Should this bout be made official, one man could leave Macau with a shot at the bantamweight belt set for down the line.

    For Yan, that would present another chance to regain the divisional title. The Russian previously held it prior to a disqualification loss to Aljamain Sterling in 2021. While he subsequently captured interim status, he fell short against “Funk Master” in their rematch.

    The tough times continued for Yan in the subsequent months. He first suffered a controversial split decision loss to Sean O’Malley in 2022 before being convincingly outpointed by another then-future champ in Merab Dvalishvili the following year. But having bounced back in style by stalling the charge of Song Yadong at UFC 299 this past March, “No Mercy” is now targeting a return to a win streak for the first time since 2020.

    To do so, the Russian standout will have to hand Figueiredo his first defeat at 135 pounds. “Deus Da Guerra” committed to a long-discussed bantamweight switch following the end of his second flyweight rule against Brandon Moreno in early 2023. He’s since reeled off three straight wins to rise to #5 in the rankings, defeating Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt, and Marlon Vera.

    Deiveson Figueiredo
    Image: Chris Unger/UFC/Zuffa LLC
  • Merab Dvalishvili Uses ‘Bully’ Petr Yan Example To Explain Dislike Of Russia

    Merab Dvalishvili Uses ‘Bully’ Petr Yan Example To Explain Dislike Of Russia

    Merab Dvalishvili recently referenced Petr Yan as an example to articulate his disdain for Russia as a nation.

    Earlier this month, in the main event of Noche UFC 306 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, Dvalishivili showcased his superiority over Sean O’Malley with relentless grappling and punishing ground control to become the new UFC bantamweight champion.

    Despite his energetic persona, “The Machine” typically avoids the harsh trash talk that often surrounds UFC fighters. But in his pursuit of a title shot against “Suga”, Dvalishvili created a series of humorous skits, playfully mocking the former champion to help bring the fight to fruition.

    When Dvalishvili faced Petr Yan in March 2023, his typically composed demeanor cracked, revealing fiery emotions as he fiercely condemned the Russian regime and voiced his deep resentment over its aggressive military occupations of neighboring countries over the years.

    Dvalishvili Blames Russian Occupation Of Georgia For His Loathing Of The Country

    During a recent interview with former UFC welterweight Jake Shields, Dvalishvili candidly discussed his deep-seated contempt for the Russian state. “The Machine” revealed that his animosity toward Yan was fueled by a larger resentment toward Russia, a nation that has repeatedly waged war against his homeland of Georgia over territorial conflicts, resulting in significant casualties.

    “Petr Yan, he’s from Russia; he’s a bully,” Dvalishvili said. “[I don’t hate] Russian people. It’s the country because they are corrupt, and Russia occupied my country—20% of Georgia. They are my enemies. You know, when they come, of course, we treat them as guests, no problem. Of course, they love our food, they love our hospitality, but they throw bombs in the city and kill people. And we are a small country, so we ask, ‘Why are you killing us?’ I’m saying, let’s just be friends with everybody.”

    Dvalishvili went on to share that at just 17 years old; he witnessed the devastation of the Russo-Georgian War in August 2008. The brutal conflict claimed the lives of many of his close friends and relatives as Russian bombs rained down on Tbilisi.

    “In 1991, when they took Abkhazia, and then the second time, I was 17 in 2008, they occupied Ossetia, and so many people lost their homes. We lost so many people, and they threw bombs in the capital city.”

  • Aljamain Sterling’s Cornerman Clarifies Any Doubt Over Faking Petr Yan Disqualification & Title Win

    Aljamain Sterling’s Cornerman Clarifies Any Doubt Over Faking Petr Yan Disqualification & Title Win

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling has always had a somewhat rocky relationship with certain parts of the MMA fanbase.

    “Funkmaster” has an awkward striking style and a strong grappling game which means that his fights aren’t always the most exciting to watch, even if he’s incredibly effective at what he does.

    Aside from this, another point that saw some of the UFC’s audience take a dislike to Sterling was what happened at UFC 259, where he challenged Petr Yan for the 135-pound title.

    Yan landed an illegal knee to Sterling’s head whilst he was a downed opponent in the fourth round which the challenger couldn’t recover from.

    As a result, Yan was disqualified, meaning that the title changed hands in disappointing fashion.

    Eric Nicksick Recalls How Aljamain Sterling Had No Memory Of UFC 259 On His Journey Home

    Despite the knee strike being a clear and obvious foul on Yan’s side, some fans didn’t like the way Sterling won the title as a result, and questioned whether he actually couldn’t continue or if he was looking for a way out because the fight wasn’t going his way.

    This was cleared up during a recent episode of the Verse Us podcast where Sterling joined Xtreme Couture head coach Eric Nicksick, who was in his corner on that night.

    Nicksick provided more details about how that decision was made to not continue and what the aftermath of that knee landing was like.

    He recalled how, after nominating himself to stay with Sterling and take him back home from the hospital, it was clear that he had no memory of what had just happened.

    “I said to Ray [Longo], I’ll go to the hospital with him and I had to sit in the f****** parking lot. You didn’t get to sit in the waiting room, this is COVID era so I get a text from him or whoever was kind of there, one of the nurses or UFC personnel, ‘Hey, he’s ready, you can come around the back, you can pick him up.’

    “We get in the car and what, 30-minute ride home and this is why I know, from a personal level, that this dude wasn’t faking. 30-minutes of him asking round after round after round. I say this because guys that I know that have been knocked out or have had head trauma have asked the same questions. ‘What happened in round one? What happened in round two?’ Going through everything in their head.”

    Sterling returns at UFC 307 where he faces Movsar Evloev in search of his second consecutive win at featherweight.

    Read also: Aljamain Sterling Accuses Sean O’Malley Of Being Given The ‘Jake Paul Route’ By The UFC: “Stacking The Deck Against His Opponent”

  • Marlon Vera Says Aljamain Sterling Fight Is “Easy” On Paper For Petr Yan

    UFC bantamweight contender Marlon Vera has given a prediction for his division’s upcoming unification title showdown, set for UFC 273 next month.

    At the April 9 pay-per-view, reigning champion Aljamain Sterling and interim titleholder Petr Yan will look to finally settle their bitter rivalry over a year after it ignited.

    The pair first collided at UFC 259 in March 2021. While Yan, the then-champ, was expected to extend his reign and was well on his way to doing so after three rounds, a fourth-frame disqualification crowned a new 135-pound king inside Las Vegas’ APEX.

    After surgery kept him out and forced a withdrawal from his scheduled defense at UFC 267 opposite “No Mercy,” Sterling has been on the sidelines with the belt for 12 months. At UFC 273, he’ll be hoping to finally legitimize his reign by adding another blemish to the Russian’s record.

    While some, including the #12-ranked Sean O’Malley, expect Sterling to arrive to the cage with an improved game plan from last time out, “Chito” Vera, the current #8 man in the division, doesn’t have high hopes for “Funk Master.”

    Vera Expects To Hear ‘And New!’

    During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, the Ecuadorian gave his assessment of the April 9 bantamweight championship rematch. While he gives Sterling the kind of puncher’s chance that always exists in a sport with as many disciplines as MMA, he ultimately said it should be an “easy” win on paper for Yan.

    “That fight, on paper, it’s pretty easy (for) Yan. He just has way better striking,” said Vera. “But that’s the thing with MMA. Sometimes you don’t need to be Israel Adesanya to win a fight. MMA, the speed is different, the range is different. You fucking throw three hooks in a row and oops, you won. It’s not a sport like boxing or kickboxing, (where) most guys are like, perfect technique.

    “You see a guy who comes from jiu-jitsu not give two fucks and just start swinging from the fences, it’s hard to read those punches” Vera continued. “That’s why you gotta spread across a little bit of everything. But, you know, everybody can punch in MMA. And there’s so many things you can do; clinch, fight on the fence. On paper, I do believe Yan kicks his ass. Because Sterling gets tired every time he’s not able to get a hold of you. He gets tired quick; he gets anxious. Yan is pretty calm in there.”

    Given his own form in the 135-pound weight class, Vera will certainly be keeping a close eye on proceedings come UFC 273 fight night. Having secured a second consecutive win by brutally knocking out Frankie Edgar last November, “Chito” is set for his first chance to enter the main event spotlight.

    A few weeks after Yan vs. Sterling 2, Vera will headline a UFC Fight Night opposite top-five contender Rob Font. With a victory, the 29-year-old will likely move to within just one triumph of a meeting inside the Octagon with the bantamweight kingpin.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca8eSMHLvrH/

    Do you agree with Marlon Vera? Is the UFC 273 co-main event “easy” to predict on paper?

  • Henry Cejudo Says He’ll Corner Petr Yan On One Condition, Yan Responds

    UFC interim bantamweight champion Petr Yan is allegedly in need of cornermen and Henry Cejudo might be willing to join Sean O’Malley in being up for the job if his terms are met.

    It was reported by multiple outlets earlier this week that members of Yan’s corner were denied visas to travel to the U.S. for UFC 273. Yan will face bantamweight titleholder Aljamain Sterling in a title rematch about a year in the making.

    After news broke of Yan’s situation, he reached out to retired former UFC double champion Henry Cejudo to help out.

    “Hey coach [Henry Cejudo] what are your plans on April 9th?” Yan asked.

    Just hours after Yan reached out to Cejudo on social media, O’Malley recorded a video in which he appeared to agree to help corner Yan for his upcoming fight.

    “One corner spot is taken by [Sean O’Malley],” Yan responded.

    Henry Cejudo would respond by laying out his one condition to corner the Russian.

    “Get me a booster seat and I’ll work your corner…you kneed me” #andnew“

    Yan, ever the tough negotiator, responded with firmness.

    “I have one condition as well, don’t try to give me your shitty advices, just bring the water and ice bag between the rounds and we’re good.”

    Yan earned the interim title over Cory Sandhagen at UFC 267 after Sterling withdrew from their originally scheduled rematch due to Sterling’s health issues. The rematch was postponed a second time for UFC 273 after the UFC 272 booking fell apart for conflicting reasons.

    Yan lost via disqualification to Sterling at UFC 259 after landing an illegal knee late in the fight. Before the infraction, Yan had taken control of the fight and had appeared to be on his way to a successful title defense.

    O’Malley and Yan share a bit of history from a distance. Among other interactions, O’Malley has predicted that a fight with Yan down the line would be the biggest fight in UFC bantamweight history.

    Despite Yan searching for help from Cejudo, the two have gone back-and-forth on social media over the past couple of years. Yan has questioned the timing of Cejudo’s retirement while Cejudo has previously teased coming out of retirement to fight him.

    Cejudo has recently teased a UFC comeback and threw his name into the conversation to fight Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 273. However, the UFC opted to go with Chan Sung Jung (aka The Korean Zombie) instead of Cejudo.

    Yan hasn’t had any visa issues ahead of UFC 273 and it appears that his cornermen are the only ones impacted by recent traveling challenges.

    Do you think we’ll actually see Sean O’Malley or Henry Cejudo corner Petr Yan at UFC 273?

  • Aljamain Sterling Tells Yan To Accept Loss Like A Man, Petr Yan Fires Back

    UFC bantamweight titleholder Aljamain Sterling and former champ Petr Yan are back at it again on social media ahead of their rematch.

    Sterling and Yan will finally meet in their highly-anticipated bantamweight title rematch at UFC 273. This comes nearly a year to the day of their first matchup when Sterling earned the belt via disqualification after Yan landed an illegal knee late in the fight.

    In a recent tweet, Sterling roasted Yan for how he’s handled the loss in their first fight last year.

    “In order to grow you need to accept your losses like a man,” Sterling said. “The first step in the process of healing is accepting your short-comings. In other words, bro, you lost!”

    If recent history was any indicator, it didn’t take Yan long to respond to Sterling’s banter. He responded by attacking how Sterling handled his controversial win over him at UFC 259.

    https://twitter.com/PetrYanUFC/status/1504077148898066434?s=20&t=3G5rx8AwLV5ZYSZPM8sRmQ

    “At least I didn’t (lose) my dignity like you,” Yan replied. “I can envision yourself crying after our next fight again. I will beat the living shit out of you dog. Looking forward to your healing process.”

    While Yan fired back in a big way, it was Sterling that would get the final word for now, making a play on words on Yan’s first name.

    “The only tears I’ll be shedding are for your funeral, after I body bag you April 9th for the world to see,” Sterling responded. “You “Betr” show up!”

    The rematch between Sterling and Yan was supposed to take place on multiple occasions in 2021, but the fight was moved due to various circumstances. Sterling has been battling injuries over the last few months and appears fully recovered and ready for his rematch with Yan.

    After Sterling pulled out of their originally scheduled bout at UFC 267, Yan would fight and defeat Cory Sandhagen for the interim bantamweight title. Before his controversial loss to Sterling, Yan earned the then-vacant title over José Aldo at UFC 251.

    We are just weeks away from the Sterling/Yan rematch and fans can expect plenty of banter back-and-forth between these two top 135-pounders.

    What is your prediction for Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan 2?