Former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan may headline UFC Fight Night for the first time in his next fight, but he doesn’t yet know who he’ll have to split the octagon with.
“I didn’t even think about a rematch with Sterling myself – I understand that the whole division will not wait,” Yang said in an interview with MMA Vestnik. “Who could be next is still unclear. For now, I’m just waiting and practicing. I think something will
“Probably, it will be some kind of media fight that is interesting. We asked for a fight in Abu Dhabi, but the UFC wants us to headline some kind of Fight Night, to have a five-round fight, so now we are waiting for what will happen. I’m ready to fight”
Yan also expressed his opinion about the fight between Pedro Munoz and Sean O’Malley, which ended after the American fighter jabbed a finger in the Brazilian’s eye.
“I saw the result of the fight. What can I say – anything can happen. I also had a moment in the fourth round that turned everything around. I can’t say what happened to Pedro, what he did. In any case, these are the guys that we will demolish.”
Another fight that will determine the balance of power in the division will be the fight between Jose Aldo and Merab Dvalishvili, who will meet on August 20 at UFC 278 in Salt Lake City.
“I think Aldo will beat him up. He hurts him. Plus, they asked Merab if you want to fight Jan now, and he said no. Maybe through a fight, but not now. It seems to me that Merab is monotonous, and I don’t think that he will be of much interest to the UFC as a fighter.
According to the Russian, he has not lost his title ambitions, and plans to perform for at least another two years.
“I think we still have to work for a couple of years. Just the contract needs to be finalized so that there are no obligations. I have five more fights under the contract. Just before the last fight, a new agreement was signed. Five fights, in principle, can be held in two years. While I feel strength, I feel energy. Rebooted a little, rested. I think that I can still turn the blood of young people, I still have to fight. I want to grab one more belt”
