BREAKING: UFC to Go Ahead with Interim Championship- Petr Yan to Fight for Belt at UFC 267

Published 09/28/2021, 10:36 PM EDT

UFC President Dana White confirmed to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto that an interim title fight will be on the line at UFC 267. Former champion Petr Yan will look to have the strap wrapped around his waist once again. He will take on Cory Sandhagen after the news that Aljamain Sterling won’t be able to defend his belt.

News recently broke that Aljamain Sterling was out due to injury thus forcing an interim title fight. However, upon further investigation, it was revealed that it was the doctor’s decision to deny Sterling medical clearance to fight. If it was up to ‘The Funkmaster’, he would be stepping in to fight Yan not long after neck surgery.

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Chiefly, Mike Bohn revealed that this was likely the first time two men who were in an interim title fight were both coming off losses each. ‘No Mercy’ Yan lost the undisputed strap to Sterling after landing a knee to a down opponent. On the other hand, Sandhagen lost a split decision to T.J. Dillashaw in a fight many thought he won.

Unfortunate. Sterling should've been given more time after his neck surgery to fully heal.
On the flip side, things are trending toward Yan vs. Sandhagen for interim in what I think would be the first UFC title fight where BOTH athletes are coming off losses. https://t.co/8yknHfPS8c
— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohnMMA) September 25, 2021

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Petr Yan vs Cory Sandhagen: What can fans expect?

The newly booked interim title fight is certainly one which offers a lot to fight fans from a stylistic perspective. The bout is not likely to go the distance given the dynamicity with which both men implement their respective game plans.

Petr Yan is adept at keeping his opponents guessing as he effectively mixes his takedowns in with his strikes. Sterling himself found the fight slipping away from him the moment Yan began to aggressively chase the takedown. Moreover, his cardio is one of his biggest assets and Cory Sandhagen will have to come prepared for war.

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‘The Sandman’ showed many positive looks in his recent bout against Dillashaw and nearly won the fight via leglock early. His maneuvers on the ground make him dangerous and Yan will have to be wary of staying in his guard too long.

All in all, fans are in for a treat despite the fact that the undisputed champion won’t be crowned on Fight Night.

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Darryl Pinto is a senior MMA writer at EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing his graduate degree in Mass Media (with a specialization in Journalism) out of Xavier’s College and has a year's experience in his current role. Darryl specializes in predictions, reporting, and covering UFC events live.

BREAKING: UFC to Go Ahead with Interim Championship- Petr Yan to Fight for Belt at UFC 267

Petr Yan vs Cory Sandhagen: What can fans expect?

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