No doubt, UFC Abu Dhabi has surpassed all expectations with its relentless chaos and electrifying action. From the opening prelims to this point in the night, the pace hasn’t slowed for a moment. With three main card fights already wrapped up, the event is racing toward its blockbuster main event—but it’s the bantamweight co-main clash between former champion Petr Yan and No. 12-ranked Marcus McGhee that has fans locked in, delivering a war that’s stealing the spotlight.
Despite stepping into MMA at the relatively late age of 30, Marcus McGhee has fully embraced the late bloomer tag—often seen as a disadvantage in the UFC. But during the UFC Abu Dhabi co-main event, his hunger and grit were on full display. From the start, oddsmakers firmly backed Petr Yan, citing his championship pedigree and 14-fight UFC résumé. What many thought would be a lopsided affair—given McGhee’s lack of top-tier experience—quickly evolved into a much tighter contest.
What’s Petr Yan planning after beating Marcus McGhee at UFC Abu Dhabi?
In the opening round, McGhee caught Yan off guard with crisp leg kicks and a few lunging punches to test his reach. Yan, however, leaned on his experience, landing a sharp right hand and showcasing flashes of his world-class boxing. But just as momentum leaned in Petr Yan’s favor, McGhee rocked him with a clean combo that flipped the script and, by the end of the first round, showed exactly why he belonged there.
The second round saw both Marcus McGhee and Petr Yan going toe-to-toe, exchanging strikes almost evenly and keeping the action tight—until Petr Yan landed a hard left in the closing seconds. While Yan’s boxing was on point, McGhee applied more pressure with higher output and combinations. Yet, when it came to Petr Yan’s grappling and overall striking, McGhee couldn’t hold his ground. In the end, the judges scored the fight in favor of Petr Yan with (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
With the win, Yan finally put together a three-fight win streak after previously suffering three consecutive losses. Looking ahead, he called out reigning bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili, hoping to reclaim his title next. Notably, someone already scheduled Merab to face Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320 in October. Backing Yan’s ambitions, former champion Henry Cejudo voiced his support on X shortly after the fight, writing: “Petr Yan vs the winner of Merab/Sandhagen. Book.”
Petr Yan vs the winner of Merab/Sandhagen. Book it #UFCAbuDhabi
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) July 26, 2025
On the other hand, former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad had a different idea for matchmaking. He posted on X: “Petr Yan vs Sean O’malley , Marcu McGhee vs Patchy Mix,” pushing for a fresh wave of bantamweight matchups.
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s theory shut down by Petr Yan
(This is a developing story)
The post Petr Yan’s Only Wish at UFC Abu Dhabi Opposed as Dvalishvili vs Sandhagen Meets a Twist appeared first on EssentiallySports.