Athletes
Petr Yan Has No Mercy
Former Bantamweight Champion Returns From Time Off To Open Up The UFC 299 Main Card In Miami This Saturday.
Petr Yan isn’t the vacationing type. But after a March 2023 defeat to Merab Dvalishvili left the former bantamweight champion with a three-fight losing streak, he did need to take a little while to reset.
“I think the break was needed and would benefit me,” said Yan through translator / co-manager Sayat Abdrakhmanov.
It did, not just from a mental standpoint, but a physical one, as the Russian powerhouse healed up some nagging injuries that had plagued him. And when he got the green light to go full blast in training, he returned with a vengeance, with the result being a rescheduled bout with Song Yadong that opens the UFC 299 main card in Miami this Saturday.
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“I had to take time off to address my old injuries that I’ve been ignoring in past camps,” said Yan. “Right now, I feel recharged and motivated to come back.”
Motivation is one thing; for the 31-year-old, his return is about righting some perceived wrongs that have taken place over the last couple years, from his controversial pair of title fights with Aljamain Sterling to a razor-thin loss to current 135-pound champ Sean O’Malley. So the first order of business is regaining the title, and to make his case a strong one, he’s on the same card headlined by O’Malley’s first title defense against Marlon Vera.
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“I want to get my belt back, that’s the main reason I asked to fight on the UFC 299 card,” said Yan. “Sean can’t be considered a real champion when he was gifted a decision in our fight. We have to run it back.”
Given the drama and top-level action of the first fight in October of 2022, the prospect of a rematch is an appealing one. But to get there, O’Malley must even the score with the only man to beat him, and Yan has to get by China’s Song.
“Song is very interesting opponent,” said Yan. “He is young, hungry and an explosive puncher. It should be very exciting matchup and I expect fireworks.”
Yan plans on being the one lighting the fuse, though, and if matters go as planned, it will be a return to the “No Mercy” that terrorized the bantamweight division from the time he debuted in the Octagon in 2018. That version of Yan ran through the likes of Teruto Ishihara, John Dodson, Jimmie Rivera, Urijah Faber and Jose Aldo, and while some have wondered if the recent cold streak means we have seen his best, he says that’s not the case.
“I try not to focus on the past; my goal is in front of me,” he said. “But people need to remember what really happened before counting me out.”
So, in his eyes, what happened? I ask Yan his thoughts on the state of the bantamweight division.
“The current state of the division is a mess,” said Yan. “The current champion (O’Malley) got the title shot after losing to me. The challenger (Vera) was gifted a title shot only because UFC thinks it’s the only guy in the Top 5 who O’Malley can beat. Chito got one of the most undeserving title shots in UFC history; the guy lost to Cory (Sandhagen) and Aldo, guys I beat convincingly in the past. He has no business fighting for the belt.”
Sounds like Mr. Yan wants to make 2024 the year of “No Mercy.”
“My plan is to stay active this year and fight three times,” he said. “It’s time to remind people what they forgot.”
UFC 299: O'Malley vs Vera 2 took place live from Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida on March 9, 2024. See the final Prelims & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
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