UFC titleholder gives positive update on return from injury after 9-hour back surgery

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After his surprising title win over Merab Dvalishvili in December, Petr Yan picked up a nasty injury to his lower back.

‘No Mercy’ had dropped three straight fights between 2022 and 2023, leaving his UFC career in doubt. But he later managed to turn things around with three straight wins.

Those results earned him another shot at Dvalishvili, who had built an argument as the best bantamweight of all time during his reign.

Yan went into the rematch as a heavy underdog but managed to pull off one of the year’s biggest upsets, taking the title from ‘The Machine’. However, it did not come without its setbacks.

Petr Yan updates fans after 9-hour surgery, gives expected return timeline

There were two significant fights in the bantamweight division at UFC 324 this past Saturday.

Sean O’Malley got back on track after his two losses to Merab Dvalishvili, earning a unanimous decision win over Song Yadong.

Meanwhile, Umar Nurmagomedov defeated former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo in a strong performance that gave his career a boost.

Despite several options being available for the Russian’s next bout, the bantamweight contenders will not be pleased to learn that the 32-year-old had surgery on his lower back this past Tuesday.

Yan posted on social media: “I was under anaesthesia for 9 hours. I had surgery on my lower back yesterday. A couple of months and I’ll be back in action.”

O’Malley had hoped to secure a rematch against ‘No Mercy’ for the UFC White House card, scheduled for June. However, recent information from the Russian champion casts doubt on his availability for that timeframe.

Henry Cejudo says he will stop watching MMA if Sean O’Malley vs Petr Yan 2 gets made

While most fans seem eager to see a rematch between O’Malley and Yan, not everyone is on board. Former UFC double champion Henry Cejudo is not shy about his feelings on the match-up.

“If the UFC does do that (fight), I’m f—— done watching the sport. That would be ridiculous,” Cejudo stated in his podcast.

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