Petr Yan is back in training camp at Tiger Muay Thai preparing for his rematch with Aljamain Sterling
Petr Yan has returned to training at the Tiger Muay Thai gym in Phuket, Thailand, ahead of his title unification rematch with Aljamain Sterling.
Yan became the first UFC champ ever to drop their belt via disqualification at UFC 259 against Sterling. The result came after the Russian executed an illegal knee on his downed opponent in the fourth round.
The duo were set to square off in the rematch at UFC 267 in Abu Dhabi on October 30. However, 'Funk Master' pulled out of the bout due to lingering neck issues. 'No Mercy' went on to defeat Cory Sandhagen and claim the interim bantamweight title.
Tiger Muay Thai tweeted out images of Petr Yan training. They added that the 28-year-old is determined to unify the belts.
"The champ is back! @PetrYanUFC is back at camp, fresh off of his UFC Interim Bantamweight Title win [gold medal emoji]. Now preparations begin to unite the bantamweight titles, as we await a date for Petr to get revenge vs Aljamain Sterling following the controversial end to their first fight [fist bump emoji]."
The champ is back! @PetrYanUFC is back at camp, fresh off of his UFC Interim Bantamweight Title win 🥇
Now preparations begin to unite the bantamweight titles, as we await a date for Petr to get revenge vs Aljamain Sterlin following the controversial end to their first fight 👊 https://t.co/JyGGr9tZDc
Yan holds a 16-2 win-loss record in his professional mixed martial arts career so far, while Sterling is 20-3 and on a six-fight winning streak.
Petr Yan is currently ranked No.11 in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings, while Aljamain Sterling is not part of the list
Petr Yan is the only bantamweight superstar in the UFC men's pound-for-pound ranking. That's despite the fact he's not the main champion in the 135-pound weight class.
A second red stone was added to his title belt following his victory over Sandhagen on Fight Island earlier this year.
2nd stone obtained for @PetrYanUFC 💎🏆
Stone to be set by Bixlers Jewelers - Official UFC Licensed Jeweler.
[ #UFC267 | rebrand.ly/ufc-bixler | Shop the UFC/Bixlers collection on @UFCStore and @Bixlers_Jewlers ] https://t.co/TP5OCDeqVR
Yan defeated the legendary Jose Aldo at UFC 251 in July 2020 to claim the bantamweight championship for the first time.
Several MMA fans and pundits feel he is the rightful champion rather than Sterling. Their rematch is expected to happen in the first half of 2022.