Former UFC Bantamweight champion Petr Yan was stripped of his 135-pound strap by throwing (and landing) an illegal knee against Aljamain Sterling in their UFC 259 title fight last March in Las Vegas. “No Mercy” initially apologized for the fight-ending strike, then quickly reversed course and accused Sterling of taking the easy way out.
Only “Funk Master” knows for sure.
Yan continues to troll Sterling in the months that followed (sample) and ended his UFC 267 workout on Weds. by reenacting his illegal knee of doom. “No Mercy” will battle top contender Cory Sandhagen for the interim belt in the UFC 267 co-main event this Sat. afternoon (Oct. 30, 2021) on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.
Sterling remains sidelined while recovering from neck surgery.
“Everything is excellent, I feel good, I’m happy to be back here,” Yan said after his workout. “A lot of Russian athletes (here), feels like being at home. I want them all to be victorious. Since UFC came to Russia it’s been very fast progress and I wish to continue that way. You’ll see everything Saturday night. I had a good camp. For me the most important is the belt. This is my goal.”
The winner is expected to face Sterling in early 2022.