Petr Yan expects to emerge as a clear-cut No. 1 contender with a win in June.
Yan (14-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) is scheduled to meet Marlon Moraes (23-6-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in the UFC Kazakhstan main event, and with fighters like Aljamain Sterling and Cory Sandhagen also gunning for the title, Yan thinks a win over Moraes should separate him from the pack.
He is yet to lose in the UFC, and is coming off a “Performance of the Night” knockout over Urijah Faber this past December.
“I think after seven wins in a row, and taking the No. 1 contender spot, it will be impossible to deny that I’m the only one who deserves to fight for the belt,” Yan told MMA Junkie through a translator.
Moraes failed to capture the vacant UFC bantamweight title against Henry Cejudo, but rebounded with a split decision win over former featherweight king Jose Aldo at UFC 245.
So Yan sees Moraes as the perfect opponent to set him up for a title shot opportunity.
“Moraes was the first opponent who’s has been offered to me and I’m happy with this matchup,” Yan said. “He is still the No. 1 contender in the division, so I gladly accepted this challenge.”
Moraes’ barely edged out Aldo, and many thought Aldo should have won. While Yan doesn’t necessarily view it as a robbery, he sees things playing out a lot differently when they fight.
“It was a very close fight – a decision could’ve gone to anyone,” Yan said. “I don’t think it’s fair to call it a robbery. Moraes slowed down toward the end, but still was landing a lot of shots. My fight with Marlon will be different because it will be five rounds and I won’t give him an opportunity to take a break. I’m confident in my abilities in a five-rounder.”
Despite losing to Moraes, Aldo was awarded a title shot with Cejudo opting to face him next.
But Yan doesn’t think it’ll be an easy task for the champion.
“I think Aldo has a good chance. Both of them are good fighters and can find the way to win,” Yan said. “We also don’t know how the current pandemic affected their training, and in what shape and mindset they will come into the fight.”
With the coronavirus outbreak sweeping the globe, Yan is staying put in Thailand and is continuing to prepare for his fight, despite the uncertainty surrounding upcoming UFC events.
“Right now, I’m with my family in Phuket,” Yan said. “I decided to stay in Thailand and not travel back home during the pandemic. It is an emergency deck here and the gym, like everything else, is closed now. So most of the time, I’m training on my own or one-on-one with my coaches. I’m staying positive and doing everything I can to stay in shape and prepare for the fight. I have a date and opponent, but the location of the fight is still unknown.”
Petr Yan: There's no denying I'm next for a title shot with a win over Marlon Moraes
