Petr Yan will still be fighting at UFC 267 next month.
Yan was expected to fight current champion Aljamain Sterling in a bantamweight title rematch at the event taking place October 30 in Abu Dhabi.
However, it was reported Saturday that Sterling had pulled out of the fight due to lingering neck issues following surgery.
Ariel Helwani would later report that the plan was for an interim bantamweight title fight to take place with Cory Sandhagen appearing to be a frontrunner to fight Yan.
For now though, nothing is set, and it’s possible any interim title clash is removed from UFC 267 entirely and scheduled for a later date. Not that Yan is planning on that happening as he sent a message to his fans.
“Greetings to everyone! You all know what’s just happened to my fight. You all know that Aljo just ran away like a sneaky coward. Here is what I would like to say — I am not going to sit and wait for him. I am going to fight on October 30 in Abu Dhabi.
“And I would like to address the UFC. UFC! Give me any fighter. Top five, top seven, top ten! Anyone who deserves to fight for the belt! And I will get the job done. … See you in Abu Dhabi.”
Petr Yan looks determined.
Same mission. Same location. No mercy.
pic.twitter.com/Ptj3sr7agy
— RT Sport (@RTSportNews) September 26, 2021
A fight with Sandhagen would certainly not be the worst replacement fight at all.