What’s Next For Petr Yan?

The strongest argument for Yan’s next opponent is a trilogy with Merab Dvalishvili. The rivalry between the two elite fighters is now tied at 1-1, and given the significance of Merab’s 14-fight win streak, the former champion has a very strong case for an immediate rematch. This fight is already easy to promote as the definitive tiebreaker. Dvalishvili himself immediately called for the rematch, showing his willingness to address the adjustments Yan made. It seems Merab may get that.

“The UFC contacted me and said, ‘Please rest as long as you want, your next fight is a rematch with Petr Yan for the belt. Rest as long as you want and call us when you’re ready’. They probably want to do the fight in the summer, but I don’t want to wait until the summer. I want to schedule the fight early, maybe in the spring, in April would be good, or maybe the fight can be scheduled in the summer,” Dvalishvili said

Umar Nurmagomedov is another option. Nurmagomedov has climbed the rankings, recently securing a key victory over Mario Bautista. A title fight against Umar would be a compelling test of Yan’s ability to defend against a different type of wrestling pressure. Umar is also desperate to secure the title, having lost to Merab himself.

Equally, the UFC may opt to wait for a contender from the top 10 such as Cory Sandhagen. Sandhagen, who recently lost to Dvalishvili for the title, remains a top-tier contender known for his unorthodox and exciting striking. A rematch between Yan and Sandhagen, who previously fought in a thrilling unanimous decision loss, would guarantee interest.