Petr Yan isn’t impressed with Henry Cejudo’s apparent refusal to accept his UFC bantamweight title challenge, and he’s making sure as many people as possible know about it.
Yan (14-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) demolished Urijah Faber via knockout at the UFC’s final pay-per-view event of 2019, UFC 245, as he delivered a definitive statement to the UFC’s top brass that he should be the next man up to challenge for the 135-pound title.
But while Yan’s performance in Las Vegas on Dec. 15 appeared to make a compelling case for the next shot, Cejudo (15-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) instead turned his attention to a bantamweight who walked away from the T-Mobile Arena that night with a loss.
Jose Aldo was edged out on the scorecards by Marlon Moraes after a highly-competitive clash in the former featherweight champion’s 135-pound debut. And rather than accepting Yan’s call for a title shot, former two-division champ Cejudo instead stated his preference to face the Brazilian legend.
Cejudo replied to Yan on social media, saying: “…you beat a 41-year-old retired skateboarder, I want my hands on an old Mexican looking Dana White #bendtheknee @josealdojunior”
But Yan has made his opinion crystal clear in his latest post to Twitter as he doubled down on his call-out of the UFC’s bantamweight champ.
Don’t let him fool you, it doesn’t matter who @HenryCejudo fights he is not selling 1 million PPV’s. He is not a draw, there is no ‘money’ fights for him. If he wants to make money he just need to be part of Khabib vs. Ferguson card or another big card, that’s it
The accompanying image doubled down on his sentiments, saying, “I think it’s pretty obvious he is ducking me and doing everything he can to avoid fighting me. All this talk about him wanting a bigger name is (expletive), he just wants easier fight for himself.”
With Yan and Aljamain Sterling both within striking distance of Cejudo’s title, and UFC president Dana White admitting at the UFC 245 post-fight press conference he doesn’t hate the thought of a Cejudo-Aldo matchup, it remains to be seen who will get the next shot at “Triple C’s” 135-pound strap.
But, after relinquishing his UFC flyweight title during December, it certainly seems Cejudo has plenty of options to discuss with the UFC brass ahead of his 2020 campaign as bantamweight champ.
Petr Yan continues callout of Henry Cejudo: 'It's pretty obvious he's ducking me'
