Russian UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan has revealed the problems behind the elimination of his maiden title protection in opposition to Aljamain Sterling from the UFC 256 card on December 12.
Yan was on account of make his first protection of the 135lbs title in opposition to Sterling on the UFC’s Apex facility in Las Vegas, however three weeks out it was reported that the combat will not be occurring on that date.
Chatting with followers through Instagram Reside on Monday, Yan mentioned varied elements had been at play throughout his preparations to face American-Jamaican challenger Sterling.
“Every thing’s in drive for the combat. It will be postponed for a couple of month and a half, however all the pieces’s so as,” Yan mentioned.
“There have been totally different issues, with the flight, with the visa, throughout coaching I flew away for a visa deadline, plenty of elements.
“We determined with the group to maneuver all the pieces to subsequent 12 months, maybe the cardboard might be extra appropriate…
“Every thing is sweet, coaching continues.”
Yan added that beforehand he would have been ready to take extra dangers along with his preparations, however combat of this magnitude deserved his complete respect.
“Previously, I may fly out to battle with out excited about something, I may take dangers,” he mentioned.
“Now I must do all the pieces proper, in order that afterwards there received’t be any, ‘this wasn’t proper, that wasn’t proper’.”
The Siberian mentioned that in any occasion he nonetheless envisions himself maintaining maintain of the 135lbs belt when he does meet Sterling.
“I see that I can beat him, it could be silly to not imagine in your self. The combat will occur,” mentioned the person often called ‘No Mercy’.
Information filtered out on Sunday that the bout was being scrapped from the UFC 256 card, with preliminary reviews merely stating it was on account of “private causes” for the Siberian fighter.
READ MORE: Petr Yan vs Aljamain Sterling ‘to be SCRAPPED from UFC 256 card’
The 27-year-old Russian received the vacant bantamweight crown by defeating Jose Aldo at UFC 251 on Struggle Island in Abu Dhabi again in July, stopping the Brazilian legend within the fifth spherical.
Yan is unbeaten in seven fights since becoming a member of the UFC in June of 2018.
‘Funk Grasp’ Sterling, 31, arrange his title shot with a formidable first-round submission win over fellow contender Cory Sandhagen at UFC 250 in June, and is on a five-fight sizzling streak.
