UFC: Petr Yan Eyes TJ Dillashaw Fight, Slams Conor McGregor

UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan wants to fight TJ Dillashaw after he beats Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259.

Yan and Sterling were originally scheduled to fight at UFC 256, but the reigning champion had to pull out due to personal reasons. The rebooked bantamweight clash between the two fighters will be the third title fight on the stacked UFC 259 card, which also features a co-main event featherweight title fight between Amanda Nunes and Megan Anderson, and a main event light heavyweight title fight between Jan Blachowicz and Israel Adesanya.

Dillashaw Fight

While he’s focused on his fight with Sterling, Yan is confident of getting his hand raised. Speaking to Fanatics View via a translator (as transcribed by MMA Fighting), ‘No Mercy’ said that he wants to fight Dillashaw after he gets past ‘The Funk Master’, because he’s a bigger draw than the other top contenders in his division.

“[Frankie] Edgar [is] older. It’s not big [enough fight],” Yan said. “Fan base is not good. [Cory] Sandhagen, he lose to Sterling. I think maybe Dillashaw. TJ Dillashaw is back after doping tests. I want a fight with him.”

Dillashaw, who was cleared to fight earlier this month after a two-year doping suspension, said last month that he wants an immediate title shot upon his return. While Yan dismissed the idea previously, he has had a change of heart.

“It’s up to the UFC,” Yan noted. “However they decide, if the term is right, then I’m going to fight him whenever. Just let’s make sure that he’s not going to use anything prohibited this time… I think it’s a real great fight and I win. He’s older. He took two years, don’t fight and now, if I remember, he’s 34 years [old]. It’s older for bantamweight division.”

Should he come through his first title defence successfully, Yan insists that the next defence of his belt has to be a ‘big fight’.

“It needs [to be] a big fight. If I win easy [against] Sterling, next fight have to be very big.”

Poirier vs McGregor

Last weekend, Dustin Poirier shocked the world when he finished Conor McGregor in the second round of the UFC 257 main event. When asked about the Irishman’s performance on the night, Yan said he wasn’t very impressed.

“Yeah, I saw that Conor became fat and old,” Yan said.

Would you be interested in a potential fight between Petr Yan and TJ Dillashaw?

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