Former two-weight UFC champion, Henry Cejudo, and streaking bantamweight contender, Sean O’Malley have both offered to serve as cornermen for interim division champion, Petr Yan at UFC 273 – as the Dudinka native faces potential issues assembling a corner for the April 9. event.
Slated to co-headline UFC 273 next month in a championship title unification bout against former-foe, Aljamain Sterling, reports emerged from TASS yesterday, detailing how members of Yan’s corner for the event had been denied VISAS to travel to the United States, but are set to reapply.
With the situation regarding Yan’s corner for the event currently fluid, TASS reporter, Igor Lazorin suggested prominent mixed martial arts coach and former undisputed lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov would step in and corner his compatriot, Yan at the event.
Petr Yan landed the vacant bantamweight title back in July 2020 with a win over Jose Aldo
While Khabib has yet to offer his services, both the aforenoted, O’Malley and Cejudo have offered to make an impromptu corner for Yan at UFC 273 in his title unification rematch with Sterling.
“Petr (Yan), heard you need a corner, bro,” Sean O’Malley posted. “Let me know, I’ll be in (Las) Vegas – or wherever the f*ck your fight is. Let me know and I can corner you baby, one-two, one-two.”
“One corner spot is taken by @SugaSeanMMA (Sean O’Malley) (dog emoji),” Petr Yan tweeted.
One corner spot is taken by @SugaSeanMMA
pic.twitter.com/rW5bJNRZIt
— Petr “No Mercy” Yan (@PetrYanUFC) March 17, 2022
Replying to a tweet from Petr Yan questioning what his plans were for April 9. – Cejudo claimed that he would corner Yan if he gave him a “booster seat”.
“Ger me a booster seat and I’ll work your corner… you kneed (sic) me. #andnew (Russian flag emoji),” Henry Cejudo tweeted in response to Petr Yan.
“Get me a booster seat and I’ll work your corner…you kneed me” #andnew
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) March 17, 2022
In his first matchup with Sterling back in March of last year, Yan suffered his first promotional loss in the form of a fourth round disqualification after he landed a knee to a grounded Sterling – resulting in a title loss.
Returning back in October of last year at UFC 267 on ‘Fight Island’, Yan clinched the interim bantamweight title with a unanimous decision victory against Cory Sandhagen.