Tag: petr yan

Sean O’Malley Slams Merab Dvalishvili Pushing For Petr Yan Rematch: ‘Sh*tting Himself Terrified Of Umar’

Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley hasn’t been impressed with the actions of Merab Dvalishvili since he ascended to the throne this past September. Dvalishvili achieved his title ambitions on MMA’s biggest stage inside the unique surroundings of the Sphere, where he comfortably got the better of O’Malley across five rounds. In attendance was Umar […]

Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley hasn’t been impressed with the actions of Merab Dvalishvili since he ascended to the throne this past September.

Dvalishvili achieved his title ambitions on MMA’s biggest stage inside the unique surroundings of the Sphere, where he comfortably got the better of O’Malley across five rounds.

In attendance was Umar Nurmagomedov, the consensus number one contender who staked his claim for a shot against the Noche UFC main event winner when he defeated Cory Sandhagen in Abu Dhabi the previous month.

But the Dagestani hasn’t been getting a positive response from the champ ever since, with “The Machine” instead first branding Deiveson Figueiredo a more worthy challenger before pitching dates to run it back with both O’Malley and Petr Yan.

The latter caught Dvalishvili’s attention when he outpointed Figueiredo in this past weekend’s UFC Macau main event. The Georgian has called for “No Mercy” to be the opponent in his first defense at UFC 313 next March.

During a recent episode of his TimboSugarShow alongside coach Tim Welch, O’Malley joined plenty in calling out Dvalishvili’s push to once again face Yan, whom he convincingly defeated across five rounds in March 2023.

“Sugar” echoed the sentiments of Nurmagomedov himself, branding the newly crowned bantamweight kingpin “terrified” of him.

“Umar wants to fight Merab in January. Petr wants to fight Merab in March. I want to fight Merab in April,” O’Malley said. “Merab is absolutely sh*tting himself terrified of Umar. He doesn’t want to fight Umar. Now he’s saying he wants to fight Petr. He wanted to fight me. Petr got 50-45’d to Merab.”

It remains to be seen whether or not Nurmagomedov will indeed get his shot next. Be it a title opportunity or clash against another contender, the Dagestani has insisted on a return to action before he observes Ramadan in 2025.

O’Malley, meanwhile, has made his intentions of pursuing redemption against Dvalishvili upon his recovery from labrum surgery next year clear.

For now, though, the Georgian continues to campaign for a second dance opposite Yan.

4 Fights We Need to See After UFC Fight Night 248

The UFC was back in Macau on Saturday, and brought some of its top talent from China and wider Asia along for the trip. In the main event, former bantamweight…

The UFC was back in Macau on Saturday, and brought some of its top talent from China and wider Asia along for the trip. In the main event, former bantamweight…

Petr Yan On Getting Knocked Down By Deiveson Figueiredo: ‘I Got Lost For A Second’

Petr Yan may have swept the scorecards at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Macau, but his victory over Deiveson Figueiredo wasn’t without some adversity. Yan — a former undisputed and interim bantamweight champion on MMA’s biggest stage — continued his winning form this year at Saturday’s event inside the Galaxy Arena, where he […]

Petr Yan may have swept the scorecards at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Macau, but his victory over Deiveson Figueiredo wasn’t without some adversity.

Yan — a former undisputed and interim bantamweight champion on MMA’s biggest stage — continued his winning form this year at Saturday’s event inside the Galaxy Arena, where he made it two victories from two outings in 2024.

The Russian headlined proceedings opposite ex-flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo, whom he comfortably outpointed across five rounds of memorable action. The lopsided scorecards, however, don’t completely tell the full story.

“Deus Da Guerra” certainly had his fair share of success, even threatening a late comeback when he knocked “No Mercy” down in round four.

During his post-fight press conference in Macau, Yan spoke about that moment while reflecting on his latest UFC triumph, admitting that the blow briefly left him “lost” in the cage.

“I’m very glad that I won. Figueiredo is a really tough opponent, and he showed that he’s championship caliber,” Yan said. “When he landed this knockdown with his punch, I thought, ‘It’s not New Year’s yet but the fireworks have already started.’ Maybe I got lost for a little second.

“But I recovered pretty fast and knew what was going on. This is a tough sport, anything can happen, so you have to be ready,” Yan continued. “You can’t relax at any second, everybody can surprise you even in the last second of a fight.”

Fortunately for Yan — who has yet to be finished in his professional career — he was able to recover from the scare and finish strong en route to a convincing decision win. And with that, the former champ has likely maintained his #3 spot on the bantamweight ladder and reinserted himself into the title picture.

While many have pointed to Umar Nurmagomedov as the deserving first in line to challenge newly crowned king Merab Dvalishvili, the Georgian was quick to accept Yan’s post-fight callout in Macau and even pitched a date for their rematch in 2025.

Merab Dvalishvili Reacts To Former Opponent Petr Yan’s Win & Callout At UFC Macau

Petr Yan made a statement at UFC Macau, defeating Deiveson Figueiredo in the main event before calling for a rematch with current UFC Bantamweight hampion Merab Dvalishvili. Yan won a five-round decision, sweeping the scorecards against the ex-UFC flyweight champion. He then mentioned wanting a rematch with Dvalishvili and an opportunity to regain the bantamweight […]

Petr Yan made a statement at UFC Macau, defeating Deiveson Figueiredo in the main event before calling for a rematch with current UFC Bantamweight hampion Merab Dvalishvili.

Yan won a five-round decision, sweeping the scorecards against the ex-UFC flyweight champion. He then mentioned wanting a rematch with Dvalishvili and an opportunity to regain the bantamweight gold during his post-fight interview.

“Before my fight, Merab [said] Deiveson Figueiredo [was the] No. 1 contender who deserved title fight,” Yan said. “Merab, what do you say now when I beat [the] No. 1 contender in my division? I want to do [a] rematch with Merab. Let’s get it.”

Dvalishvili heard Yan’s callout and responded on social media, starting with praise of the UFC Macau main event and the Russian’s performance before expressing interest in the pair facing off at UFC 313 in Las Vegas on March 8.

Merab Dvalishvili Open To Rematch With Petr Yan, Perhaps As Soon As UFC 313

Dvalishvili and Yan met in the main event of UFC Las Vegas in March 2023, with the Georgian standout taking a five-round unanimous decision.

That fight marked Yan’s third straight loss and fourth defeat in five fights, stemming back to him controversially dropping the bantamweight championship via disqualification to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259.

“No Mercy” has since won a pair of fights in 2024, defeating Song Yadong at UFC 299 before his win over Figueiredo in Macau. Yan put on a striking clinic against “Deus Da Guerra,” and he even showed control on the ground the majority of the time he grappled with Figueiredo on the mat.

Dvalishvili, following the win over Yan, went on to defeat Henry Cejudo at UFC 298 before scoring a decision over Sean O’Malley to capture the bantamweight championship at UFC 306 (Noche UFC).

‘Give Him The O’Malley Rematch’ – Fans React To Petr Yan’s Vintage Striking Performance To Beat Deiveson Figueiredo At UFC Macau

Petr Yan made a statement that he wants the UFC bantamweight championship back, making his case with a dominant decision win over Deiveson Figueiredo in the main event of UFC Macau. Figueiredo appeared to be on path to a strong start when he scored a takedown in the fight’s opening minute. Yan, however, survived his […]

Petr Yan made a statement that he wants the UFC bantamweight championship back, making his case with a dominant decision win over Deiveson Figueiredo in the main event of UFC Macau.

Figueiredo appeared to be on path to a strong start when he scored a takedown in the fight’s opening minute. Yan, however, survived his opponent’s thoughts of a potential early submission to control the action on the ground and get into top position. The Russian then returned the fight to the feet and outstruck the former flyweight champion from there.

“Deus Da Guerra” managed to land some very strong shots in the second round, but Yan continued to keep busy with effective activity as the two had a close, competitive striking clinic in that five-minute span. “No Mercy,” however, took complete control of the fight in the third round, seemingly landing at will with brutal strikes and even dropping Figueiredo at one point.

Yan continued to land at will and pressure, doing damage, but Figueiredo brought a scare when he appeared to damage Yan with a body shot in the closing seconds of the round. The Brazilian tried to pursue the ex-bantamweight kingpin and go after a late finish that he needed, but the time in the round expired.

Petr Yan Dominantes Deiveson Figueiredo In Striking Battle That Topped UFC Macau

Yan has now won back-to-back fights, having previously defeated Song Yadong at UFC 299 earlier this year. Prior to 2024, the Russian had been on a three-fight losing skid that began with him losing a rematch against Aljamain Sterling. The run also included a controversial decision loss against Sean O’Malley and a lopsided defeat to current bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili.

Meanwhile, Saturday marked Figueiredo’s first loss since moving up to bantamweight. He had been 3-0 at 135 pounds after losing the UFC flyweight title for the second time. Figueiredo defeated Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt, and Marlon “Chito” Vera prior to the Macau event.

Petr Yan Wins Decision After Five-Round War with Deiveson Figueiredo – UFC Macau Results

Petr Yan Wins Decision After Five-Round War with Deiveson Figueiredo - UFC Macau ResultsIn the UFC Macau main event two former champions, Petr Yan and Deiveson Figueiredo, were looking to make a…

Petr Yan Wins Decision After Five-Round War with Deiveson Figueiredo - UFC Macau Results

In the UFC Macau main event two former champions, Petr Yan and Deiveson Figueiredo, were looking to make a significant impact in the bantamweight division with their five-round showdown.

Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo Results

The former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan is seeking redemption after a series of setbacks. He lost his title due to an illegal knee against Aljamain Sterling and has gone 2-3 in his last five fights. For Yan, this was an opportunity to silence critics and prove he still belongs among the bantamweight elite. The Siberian-Russian is highly skilled with a background in Muay Thai.

The former two-time UFC flyweight champion ‘God of War’ Deiveson Figueiredo has successfully transitioned to the bantamweight division. He’s currently undefeated at bantamweight with a 3-0 record, including victories over notable fighters like Marlon Vera and Cody Garbrandt. He is best known for his powerful striking.

Watch Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo Highlights

With an inside trip, Brazil’s Deiveson Figueiredo quickly secured a takedown in round 1. After a few grappling exchanges, ‘No Mercy’ Yan was able to secure top position and work from guard. The two traded heavy shots in round 2, kicks and punches at range were landing for both men. Yan finished the round with a trip. Figueiredo secured a takedown early in round 3 but Yan got right back up his feet and dropped the Brazilian scoring a knockdown. Punches from Yan were clearly having an impact on the former champion who was struggling on his feet at the end of round 3.

The two athletes stayed on their feet after an action-packed scramble to open the fourth round and caused the crowd to scream. Figueiredo landed a solid body kick then clinched and pushed Yan against the cage. An uppercut and head kick land from Yan and sends Figueiredo stumbling back and diving for a takedown but he stays solid on his feet. With thirty seconds left, Figueiredo lands an overhand that knocks down Yan.

‘God of War’ Deiveson Figueiredo was applying pressure in the final round as both fighters kept up the pace. The uppercut from Yan continued to be a noteworthy strike repeatedly, while Figueiredo found a home with elbows, kicks, and overhands. In the clinch, the Siberian fighter landed a spinning back elbow which electrified the live audience then attempted a switch kick to the head but was blocked and Figueiredo began throwing power hooks to the head and body of his opponent. In the final moments of the bout, Petr Yan is able to stay on his feet and land a body kick. The bantamweight division put on a show in Macau.

Petr Yan def. Deiveson Figueiredo by Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45). In the post-fight interview, he called out the bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili.

Watch Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo Highlights 2
MACAU, CHINA – NOVEMBER 23: (L-R) Petr Yan of Russia punches Deiveson Figueiredo of Brazil in their bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Galaxy Arena on November 23, 2024 in Macau, China. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Watch Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo Highlights ufc
MACAU, CHINA – NOVEMBER 23: (L-R) Petr Yan of Russia punches Deiveson Figueiredo of Brazil in their bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Galaxy Arena on November 23, 2024 in Macau, China. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Watch Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo Highlights ufc 1
MACAU, CHINA – NOVEMBER 23: (R-L) Petr Yan of Russia knees Deiveson Figueiredo of Brazil in their bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Galaxy Arena on November 23, 2024 in Macau, China. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Watch Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo Highlights ufc 2
MACAU, CHINA – NOVEMBER 23: (R-L) Deiveson Figueiredo of Brazil punches Petr Yan of Russia in their bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Galaxy Arena on November 23, 2024 in Macau, China. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)