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