"How’s your recovery going old cheater?" - Petr Yan continues to pursue a future fight with former UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw
Petr Yan has called out T.J. Dillashaw on social media. Taking to Twitter, the interim UFC bantamweight champion put the Californian on notice and even went as far as calling him an "old cheater."
In the tweet, Petr Yan asked Dillashaw how his recovery is going after the No.2-ranked contender injured his knee during his return fight against Cory Sandhagen.
How’s your recovery going old cheater? @TJDillashaw
"How's your recovery going old cheater? @TJDillashaw"
Given his latest remarks, it's safe to say 'No Mercy isn't the biggest fan of Dillashaw and is continuing to pursue a future fight with the former champion.
Dillashaw made his return to the UFC in July after serving a two-year suspension following a positive EPO test. The 35-year-old fought top contender Sandhagen in the UFC Vegas 32 main event. Across five rounds of action, the two men took each other to the limit.
Eventually, Dillashaw edged 'The Sandman' in a fight that could've gone either way in the eyes of most. With the win, Dillashaw re-entered the bantamweight ladder and staked his claim for a title shot.
Petr Yan recently won the interim UFC bantamweight championship at UFC 267
At the UFC 267 event, Petr Yan won the interim UFC bantamweight championship by beating Sandhagen in yet another incredible fight at 135 pounds.
Despite coming off a loss to Dillashaw, 'The Sandman' earned himself a shot at the interim belt after reigning champion Aljamain Sterling was forced to withdraw from the fight. The other contender for the short-notice opportunity was Rob Font. However, he had just recovered from COVID-19 and wasn't in a position to accept it.
After two months away from his family to prepare for this fight, this moment between @PetrYanUFC and his son 😍
#UFC267 https://t.co/ddpYfcdWuH
Following Yan's decision win over Sandhagen, it was confirmed by Dana White that a title unification bout was indeed the fight to make going forward. Yan and Sterling are expected to square off inside the octagon at some point in 2022.
The winner of that fight could potentially go on to defend the belt against Dillashaw soon after.