Rivalries: Petr Yan

It takes a remarkable degree of combat proficiency to garner the respect of distinguished mixed martial arts boxers like Dustin Poirier and Jorge Masvidal, which unequivocally places Petr Yan among the elites of the sport. The former Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight titleholder is the embodiment of controlled chaos. For Yan, the choice of his moniker “No Mercy” was not merely a label but a conviction that fuels his pursuit of victory: unyielding in its resolve, unforgiving in its execution.

Between 2018 and 2020, the Russian’s stoic demeanor took over the 135-pound division, as the calculated destroyer rattled off seven straight victories with surgical precision. While he has struggled of late, evident from the 1-4 record in the last five fights, the waning stature could be ascribed to a fighter ablaze with a fervent desire to revive his former resolute ways. It can be argued that Yan exhibited a sense of helplessness in a singular instance out of 21 professional fights in his last Octagon outing against Merab Dvalishvili in March 2023.

With that said, he now has the opportunity to chart a fresh course, imbued with renewed vitality, and make another push for the championship. That begins with his UFC 299 showdown with Yadong Song on Saturday at the Kaseya Center in Miami. Ahead of Yan’s latest assignment, a look at some of the rivalries that have shaped his career to this point:

Magomed Magomedov

Yan turned professional in 2013 and recorded five straight victories before his path crossed with a future Bellator MMA bantamweight star in Magomedov. In their first encounter under the Absolute Championship Berkut banner, Magomedov emerged victorious via split decision in a closely contested bout. While “Tiger” laid hands on the organization’s bantamweight gold, many felt that Yan had won the fight, including company president Mairbek Khasiev. Yan rebounded fiercely in his next fight, scoring a unanimous decision over Ed Arthur. The rematch opportunity against Magomedov followed in line at ACB 57. “No Mercy” left no doubt, avenging his prior defeat in emphatic fashion via unanimous decision. With that victory, he was also crowned the ACB bantamweight champion.

Urijah Faber

In the most high-profile matchup following his UFC debut in 2018, Yan locked horns with the former bantamweight title challenger at UFC 245. The Russian tried to make Faber flinch at the ceremonial weigh-ins and upheld the same intensity as the Octagon gates shut on fight night. Throughout the fight, Yan’s calculated aggression and relentless pressure proved too much for Faber to handle. The American weathered the storm purely on the merit of his toughness and displayed the heart of a true warrior but ultimately succumbed to a devastating head kick in the third round. Yan had announced his arrival in the UFC, and his fellow peers took notice.

Aljamain Sterling

Following the victory over Faber, Yan went 2-2 in the next four outings, starting with a technical knockout victory over Octagon legend Jose Aldo at UFC 251 for the bantamweight crown. The next assignment would mark the first defense of his bantamweight title against Sterling at UFC 259. “No Mercy” honored his commitment to delivering a solid performance up until the fourth round, where an illegal knee on Sterling led to a disqualification. Subsequently, Sterling was crowned champion, but that was just the inception of their rivalry. Yan cruised forward and delivered a masterful performance against Cory Sandhagen for the interim championship at UFC 267 after Sterling was forced to withdraw from the originally scheduled bout due to lingering neck issues. He won the clash against Sandhagen via unanimous decision, and the elite-level chess encounter featuring a dazzling exhibition of modern MMA proficiency was also bestowed with “Fight of the Night” honors. The unification rematch against Sterling finally materialized at UFC 273. This time around, a game Sterling unleashed the torrent of long-concealed frustration from the MMA community undermining his claim as the champion. “Funk Master” resorted to a grappling-heavy approach on his way to a split decision over Yan to retain the bantamweight throne.

Sean O'Malley
Yan and O’Malley’s pre-fight build-up to their clash at UFC 280 was laden with verbal fencing and disparaging remarks. Yet when the fight played out, it exemplified three rounds of pure, back-and-forth MMA frenzy. Yan’s relentless assault shined through, while O’Malley found great success with his calculated and strategic onslaughts. As the fight progressed, O’Malley’s blistering flurries and effective use of knee strikes proved pivotal, stunning Yan and gaining momentum. Although the Russian managed to control O’Malley on the ground, he struggled to capitalize on the position. In the end, “Sugar” was declared the winner by split decision and, naturally, there was widespread contention. It is worth noting that 25 out of 26 media outlets scored the bout in favor of Yan.