Petr Yan targets fall return to UFC octagon, issues open callout to top-tier bantamweights

Petr Yan plans to make his return to the octagon by the end of this year and has issued an open callout to all the top-ranked 135-pound contenders. The former champion's last outing was his narrow decision loss to Aljamain Sterling and 'No Mercy' will look to return to winning ways when he eventually returns.

Yan wrote on Twitter:

“This fall anyone from top of the division can get it 👊🏼”

Yan is currently ranked No.1 in the bantamweight division. Aljamain Sterling, the reigning champion, is reportedly set to take on No.2-ranked T.J. Dillashaw later this year, but the bout is yet to be finalized.

Elsewhere in the 135-pound rankings, No.3-ranked Jose Aldo and No.6-ranked Merab Dvalishvili are reportedly set to lock horns in August, as are No.5-ranked Marlon Vera and No.8-ranked Dominick Cruz. The UFC is also targeting a fight between No.4-ranked Cory Sandhagen and No.11-ranked Song Yadong for September.

If all the aforementioned bouts are finalized, No.7-ranked Rob Font remains the only bantamweight in the top 10 without a fight. Font is coming off a decision loss to Marlon Vera wherein he sustained a ton of damage. A fight between Font and Yan, arguably the two best pure boxers in the division, would undoubtedly produce fireworks.

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Petr Yan targets a fight with Henry Cejudo

While Rob Font appears to be the only available bantamweight at the moment, Petr Yan has taken aim at former two-division champion Henry Cejudo instead. Cejudo recently re-entered the USADA testing pool and has made it clear that he is eyeing a return to the octagon.

'Triple C' retired after his TKO victory over Dominick Cruz in 2020. Now that the Olympian is no longer retired, Yan had this to say in a recent tweet:

"Hey @HenryCejudo you talked a lot when you were “retired”. Now it’s time to back it up!"

Henry Cejudo and Petr Yan have been going back-and-forth on social media of late, with the Russian accusing his American counterpart of "ducking" him. Cejudo clapped back, advising Yan to improve his wrestling while reiterating that he's targeting a championship bout upon his return.