UFC 299 is now in the books, marking a monumental success for the company. The Miami main card, which became the 4th highest-grossing event in UFC history, was kicked off by Petr Yan making his return against a hungry prospect in Song Yadong.
This fight between the veteran and the rising star in the division had been a long time coming, with Yadong consistently working his way up the ranks. Although Yan has showcased his elite skills in the octagon numerous times, his chances were doubted by fans as he was coming off three losses in a row and needed to make a statement, which he did.
Petr Yan bounces back to win vs Song Yadong
As the fight began to unfold, Yan took the upper hand in constant exchanges by landing more shots and with much more efficiency. It started slowly but Yan kept establishing his dominance by keeping up the pressure, even landing some takedowns. And with those takedowns, Yan was able to mix a barrage of ground and pound, all of which opened Yadong up over the left eye.
As the clash was in its final minutes, Yan maintained his composure by continuing to land effectively, and damaged Yadong with another takedown moments before the bell rang. After a convincing performance, Yan got his hand raised via unanimous decision.
Yan came into Miami with a mission of reminding the world of just how good he is, and his latest performance only pushes his stock through the roof. In his post-fight interview, Yan firmly announced his return and stated, “I want hard fight with hard opponent,” followed by a potential callout to the champion as he screamed, “Rematch season open, let’s go.”
Petr Yan earns Alex Volkanovski shoutout
After rightfully returning to the win column, Petr Yan received praise from around the world for his powerful performance. He also earned acknowledgment from the former featherweight champion of the world, Alexander Volkanovski.
The former champ commended Yan for overcoming the damage he endured on his leg in the first round and winning the fight in such fashion. In response, Yan thanked Volkanovski, also noting his keen observations by saying, “You have good eyes, brother.”
Even after enduring a grueling three-fight losing streak, Yan believed in himself and made a comeback, looking better than ever. The bantamweight division now has a reason to worry as its former champion is back, and he’s aiming for the strap.
