Former UFC Bantamweight Champion Petr Yan is still dead set on reclaiming his spot at the top of the division, and after dominantly picking apart Deiveson Figueiredo in the main event of UFC Fight Night 248, he may just be the next man in line for a title shot. To say the Russian’s performance in Macau was a masterclass would be an understatement. Almost from the word go, Yan lived up to his nickname, “No Mercy,” outclassing the streaking Figueiredo almost everywhere the fight went.
Prior to 2024, Yan was in a very precarious spot in his UFC career. After dropping his 135-lb. strap to bitter rival Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259 in 2021, he saw himself go 1-3 over the course of his next four fights. While Yan did defeat Cory Sandhagen to snatch the interim title, he ultimately came up short to Sterling again in the rematch by split decision. He then would drop two more decision losses to future bantamweight kings Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili.
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – OCTOBER 30: (R-L) Petr Yan of Russia punches Cory Sandhagen in the UFC interim bantamweight championship fight during the UFC 267 event at Etihad Arena on October 30, 2021 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
A Return To Victory Lane for “No Mercy” and a Challenge From “Deus Da Guerra”
This year, however, Yan finally got himself back in the win column by turning away Chinese MMA contender Song Yadong at UFC 299, decimating the younger fighter with an excellent display of kickboxing and takedown defense to notch a convincing unanimous decision win.
Following a majorly successful stint in the flyweight division, where he reigned as the division’s champion on two separate occasions, Figueiredo took a chance and moved up to 135 lbs. in late 2023. This chance worked wonders for “Deus Da Guerra,” because, despite being small for his new weight class, he ended up pulling off a three-fight win streak in less than a year. Going into his bout with Yan last Saturday, the Brazilian had etched notable victories over Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt, and Marlon Vera.
AUSTIN, TEXAS – DECEMBER 02: (R-L) Deiveson Figueiredo of Brazil punches Rob Font in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Moody Center on December 02, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Yan Bests Figuereido in Macau
Although both men had a bevy of UFC championship experience between them, Yan looked far and away the superior combatant, using his high-level kickboxing to keep Figueiredo at a distance while denying most of his takedowns. Whenever the contest did make its way to the ground, the Russian was swift in reversing his position to take control on top. Attaining perfect 50-45 scorecards across the board, the match will be remembered as a landslide victory for Yan.
That wasn’t to say Figueiredo didn’t have his moments throughout the five-round affair, as he did manage to stun Yan a few times in the later rounds, even dropping him in the later moments of the fourth round. He also demonstrated having a very strong chin, having absorbed over 190 of “No Mercy”’s strikes and never appearing to be overly rocked.
MACAU, CHINA – NOVEMBER 23: (L-R) Petr Yan of Russia punches Deiveson Figueiredo of Brazilin their bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Galaxy Arena on November 23, 2024 in Macau, China. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Who’s Up Next For Yan?
The fight will go down as one of the best the bantamweight division has put on all year; an instant classic. Using the momentum of his success in China, Yan could be on the very short list of individuals who could be fighting for the 135-lb. strap in early 2025. Considering he already has a history with current champion Merab Dvalishvili (who has recently called for a rematch with the Russian), that is one loss that Yan will surely want to avenge.
