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Petr Yan Wants T.J Dillashaw, Not Cory Sandhagen, After UFC 259 Win

He may have a title defense coming up this weekend, but Petr Yan is already looking towards the future. The bantamweight champion defends his title for the first time against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259. At 7-0, Yan has yet to taste defeat in the UFC and expects that to continue this Saturday. In a […]

He may have a title defense coming up this weekend, but Petr Yan is already looking towards the future.

The bantamweight champion defends his title for the first time against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259. At 7-0, Yan has yet to taste defeat in the UFC and expects that to continue this Saturday. In a recent interview with Fanatics View, while he made sure to not overlook Sterling, he said he already has eyes on what’s next for him (H/T MMA Mania).

“If I win easy over Sterling, next fight has to be very big. Sandhagen, he lost to Sterling. I think maybe Dillashaw,” Yan said. “T.J. Dillashaw is back after doping tests and I want to fight him.”

Sandhagen has staked his claim to be the next title challenger following back-to-back knockouts over Marlon Moraes and Frankie Edgar, running his UFC record to 7-1. He has also been a vocal critic of Dillashaw getting a title shot upon his return, saying that decision would be “garbage”.

Dillashaw has recently been cleared to compete again following a two-year suspension from USADA for a failed drug test. Prior to his suspension, Dillashaw was the reigning bantamweight champion after winning and defending the title in a pair of fights against Cody Garbrandt. He has been adamant that he is worthy of an immediate title shot upon his return, but the UFC has yet to say what will happen after UFC 259.

Of course, before any future matchmaking can take place, Yan first has to get past a worthy challenger in Sterling. ‘The Funkmaster has won five in a row, including wins over Jimmie River and Pedro Munhoz, as well as dominating Sandhagen in fewer than 90 seconds. His unique style of wrestling and grappling has given his past opponents fits, and he believes Yan will be no different.

Do you think Petr Yan is overlooking Sterling? Who should he fight next if he wins?

Petr Yan Plans A ‘Very Violent Finish’ In Title Defense Against Sterling

UFC Bantamweight Champion Petr Yan is ready to put a violent beating on the challenger, Aljamain Sterling. The card is star-studded and features the middleweight champ Israel Adesanya moving up to light heavyweight with dire intentions of capturing a s…

Khabib Nurmagomedov Ready To Move On From Sports, ‘Live For Myself’

The saga of Khabib Nurmagomedov continues, as he once again claims to be done with competing. The UFC lightweight champion has been adamant that his fight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 will go down as the last on his record. Despite that, UFC president Dana White has refused to take the title off of […]

The saga of Khabib Nurmagomedov continues, as he once again claims to be done with competing.

The UFC lightweight champion has been adamant that his fight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 will go down as the last on his record. Despite that, UFC president Dana White has refused to take the title off of him, believing he can convince Nurmagomedov to come back for one last fight. In an interview with Esquire Middle East – which features ‘The Eagle’ on the cover of their March issue – Nurmagomedov made it clear he’s happy in retirement.

“Every day I woke up in the morning and started training, and in the evening my body was exhausted, because I had brought it to the limit,” Nurmagomedov said. “I just want to live a life in which I can get at least a little sleep before lunchtime, to live for myself and not devote myself 100 percent to sports.”

A large part of Nurmagomedov’s decision to call it a career had to do with his belief that he has nothing left to accomplish in the sport. After debuting in 2008, the Dagestani fighter ran up a perfect 29-0 record. He picked up victories over some of the best MMA has to offer in Gaethje, Conor McGregor, and Dustin Poirier. Feeling as though there is no one left that offers him a challenge, he is ready to step aside and help his teammates accomplish their goals.

“Now that I’m not going to train any more, I have people close to me—brothers and friends—who are now fighting at the highest level,” Nurmagomedov said. “There are about five or six people who we are building the path with, and I will help them, train with them, share my experiences. . . To some extent, this can be called a coaching life, but I am not going to fully enter into coaching. I will always be there and share my experience.”

Perhaps the most prominent of his “brothers and friends” is rising lightweight contender Islam Makhachev. The longtime friend and training partner of Nurmagomedov is on a 6-fight winning streak, and 7-1 in the UFC overall. The 29-year old will have a massive opportunity to further his place in the lightweight standings when he takes on Drew Dober on the PPV portion of this weekends stacked UFC 259. AKA head coach Javier Mendez has dubbed Makhachev as the heir apparent to the lightweight throne, and Nurmagomedov agrees that it is his time to shine (H/T MMA Fighting).

“Now, everybody talks about Dustin (Poirier), Conor (McGregor), (Michael) Chandler, Justin (Gaethje), (Charles) Oliveira,” Nurmagomedov told ESPN in a separate interview. “But by the end of the year, it’s gonna be changed. I don’t think anyone can beat (Makhachev) right now. He will run (the division).”

Do you think Khabib Nurmagomedov will stay retired? Will Islam Makhachev become the lightweight champion?

Petr Yan Claims Aljamain Sterling’s Grappling Doesn’t ‘Bother’ Him, Predicts A ‘Very Violent Finish’

It’s arguably the most competitive bantamweight matchup you could put together in the division today, and this weekend’s title fight between the incumbent Petr Yan and the challenger, Aljamain Sterling has some real animosity fueling it. Initially set to match at UFC 256 in December, Yan was forced to withdraw from the matchup, citing personal […]

Initially set to match at UFC 256 in December, Yan was forced to withdraw from the matchup, citing personal reasons, with Sterling also removed from the card as a result. Rescheduled for this weekend’s stacked UFC 259 event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas — in the months since, the rivalry has only continued to develop.

Taking his camp to South Florida at American Top Team from Tiger Muay Thai in Thailand amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, reigning champion Yan recently spoke with BJ PENN.com reporter, Cole Shelton, claiming that while the consensus would believe Sterling has a distinct grappling advantage, that aspect of the challenger’s game doesn’t “bother” him.

“I’m ready for every aspect of MMA,” Yan said. “I can hurt him (Aljamain Sterling) standing and on the ground too. I’m not gonna shy away from the challenge. I’m training with many high-level grapplers, his grappling doesn’t bother me.“

In his sole professional loss, Yan dropped a split decision defeat to recent Bellator MMA acquisition, Magomed Magomedov — in which he was taken down on multiple occasions in a vacant ACB bantamweight championship matchup. Sterling himself has recently claimed that whilst Yan may be able to defend some takedowns — all he needs is one successful shot to find his route to victory this weekend.

Opening another title tripleheader back in July of last year at UFC 251 — Yan claimed the vacant bantamweight crown with an eventual fifth-round knockout victory over former featherweight kingpin, Jose Aldo — sealing Octagon gold in just his seventh promotional appearance.

Yan had previously claimed he’s going to finish Sterling in relatively quick fashion come this weekend’s bantamweight title clash — and now predicts his finish retention will be a “very violent one“.

“My goal is always to finish the fight early and do the damage,” Yan said. “I see me getting a very violent finish. It will play out very violently for him,“

Earning his well-overdue title challenge, longtime contender, Sterling met with the fellow streaking, Cory Sandhagen at UFC 250 in June — lodging a career-best, highlight-reel performance. Taking the recent big winner’s back early in the opening-minute, Uniondale native, Sterling locked up a patient rear-naked choke — forcing the tap from Sandhagen.

Casey Kenney Targeting Other Former Champions With UFC 259 Win Over Dominick Cruz

Casey Kenney is only targeting big names from hereon out. Kenney takes on former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz in the featured prelim spot of the UFC 259 pay-per-view event. It’s undoubtedly the biggest fight of Kenney’s career, especially with Cruz being one of the pioneers of the bantamweight division as well as arguably the greatest […]

Casey Kenney is only targeting big names from hereon out.

Kenney takes on former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz in the featured prelim spot of the UFC 259 pay-per-view event.

It’s undoubtedly the biggest fight of Kenney’s career, especially with Cruz being one of the pioneers of the bantamweight division as well as arguably the greatest 135er of all time.

Kenney even used to watch him fight, but will not be awestruck when he steps opposite the cage from him.

“I think I was in college or just on the summer of college break and I was trying to decide whether I wanted to go back or become a fighter,” Kenney told Middle Easy. “My friends and I used to sit around and watch UFC fights. Of course him (Cruz) and Faber went at it. They were the lighter guys, and they were just bringing in the (1)35 and (1)45 division too. So I been watching Dominick Cruz as far back as 2011.

“It means a lot to fight him, but at the end of the day he’s just another guy. He’s across the cage from me and in my way. He’s a legend of the sport. But all of that changes when we get locked in there.”

A win over Cruz would put Kenney on a four-fight winning streak and likely move him up the bantamweight ranks further.

And while he is not looking past Cruz, he is ideally looking to face more former champions in the division before eventually challenging for the title.

“Obviously I’m in the top 15 now. The number doesn’t really matter to me,” Kenney added. “But you beat a former champion, I feel like i’d deserve another former champion. And there’s a handful of them to pick from.

“I wouldn’t mind getting (Jose) Aldo or (TJ) Dillashaw. Aldo, Dillashaw or Garbrandt. Those are three former champions that I’ve thought of. So (I’ll) take out a couple former champs and we can go from there.”

Do you think Kenney will beat Cruz? Or will this be a case of the veteran coming out on top?

Dominick Cruz: More People Tune Into The Prelims Than The Main Card

Former UFC Bantamweight champion, Dominick Cruz, is relishing being the featured prelim of the upcoming UFC 259 PPV event. Whilst claiming a coveted spot on the main card of an event is the dream of many an upcoming fighter, the experienced veteran in Cruz is realistic about what placement on a UFC card really entails. […]

In a recent interview with ESPN MMA’s Ariel Helwani, Cruz had the following to say about being on the prelims:

“That’s probably the most seen position on the entire fight card. I’ll have the most eyes on me. Like I said, I’ve had a pretty decent layoff, so let’s get me in front of a lot of eyes is what I’m thinking. At the same time, being on the prelims, that’s an ego thing. I’m not really attached to my ego at this point. I know what I am. I know the things that I’ve accomplished. It doesn’t affect me to be seen more, and I will. I’ll be seen more”(transcribed by Farah Hannoun).

“More people tune into that then they will the main card. I’m right before the main card so everybody is watching that one because it’s the end of the prelims. It’s kind of like the lead-off hitter of a baseball team. That’s usually the fight that people wanna see almost every time they put these fights together. I’m excited to be in that position.”

Cruz will face off against rising prospect Casey Kenny, at UFC 259. Following a controversial loss to former champion Henry Cejudo, ‘The Dominator’ is looking to remount a title shot at 135lbs.

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