Petr Yan still considers himself the bantamweight champion. That’s the message he’s sending with his most recent BJ Penn interview, in which he declared that the UFC 267 co-main event is a fight for what he considers a vacant bantamweight strap.
Of course, the belt is currently occupied by Aljamain Sterling, who won it from Yan via DQ earlier in the year, and had to pull out of their scheduled rematch thanks to a neck injury. Petr Yan was having none of it.
Petr Yan on Upcoming Sandhagen Fight: “There’s Nothing Interim About This Belt”
““I wasn’t surprised, you could see it coming for a while. This guy doesn’t want to fight me again. I don’t care about Sterling, my goal is to get the belt back. I’m not gonna wait for someone who doesn’t want to fight me.”
With Sterling out of the picture, Cory Sandhagen, who himself suffered a controversial decision loss to a returning TJ Dillashaw, stepped up to the plate.
“I know he wasn’t the first one who they offered this fight, but I guess he was the best available option. I told my management team I will fight anyone on that date.
Cory is a very tough and deserving opponent, he fought well in his fight with TJ. But I have an arsenal to beat anyone in the division, I will show I’m the champion for a reason. I will be ready for any scenario. I’m comfortable wherever fight will take place.”
Sandhagen made no secret of his title ambitions, and will surely be happy to have the opportunity to take on the former (or if you ask him, current) champion. As far as Petr Yan is concerned, this is the true title fight, regardless of what happens with Aljamain Sterling.
“Yes I do believe this should be for the vacant title, there’s nothing interim about this belt. Sterling knew he won’t be able to fight in October.
But, still, since April he was claiming he will so they won’t strip him. He signed the agreement but never was going to show up.
If he was honest with UFC from the start I could’ve fought for the belt in July or August. Then, I defend it in October while he is recovering. Now he is saying it takes 12 to 18 months to recover, didn’t he know that when he did the surgery?”
Do you think Petr Yan is right, or does he need to get a true victory over Aljamain Sterling in order to return to true champ status? Let us know in the comments.
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