Petr Yan may have just become the latest victim of the UFC’s belt policy. It used to be that the promotion would issue a new belt for every title defense a champion completed. Names like Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre benefited from this old norm. That changed when Demetrious Johnson requested his 10 belts from 10 title defenses for a photo opportunity. Now, we have actual footage of Petr Yan seemingly getting into it with a UFC employee over a similar situation.

At UFC 323, Petr Yan broke down the Georgian ‘Machine’ Merab Dvalishvili. What would have been a record fourth title defense for the latter became a successful second title win for the former. Petr Yan walked out of the Octagon with his belt firmly in hand, and he was not parting with it, even for the UFC logistics team. A clip has gone viral on social media, including Reddit, showing UFC employees allegedly trying to take Yan’s belt. What’s the story there?

Did the UFC try to take Petr Yan’s belt after Merab Dvalishvili’s win?

The post-UFC 323 clip on social media drew attention to what fans called the UFC’s “very weird” moment between Petr Yan and an employee. The latter offered the two-time bantamweight champion a “plastic belt,” asking for the actual one in return. When Yan asked to see the belt, the employee said, “It’s the same as that.”

Later, when Yan’s translator asked about the difference between the two belts, the employee replied, “Because you already have one of those.” Yan refused, saying, “no no no” and tapped the belt on his shoulder, implying he was keeping it. And who could say otherwise to the Russian?

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But the clip quickly went viral, sparking widespread discussion on social media, with fans accusing Dana White & Co. of a “disgusting move.” But is this accurate? No, UFC did not try to steal Petr Yan’s bantamweight belt. This was a clear case of miscommunication. Let us explain.

The belt wrapped around Petr Yan inside the Octagon was a “generic belt” used at all events and for post-fight media scrum. Yan was always going to have to return it. The UFC introduced the legacy belt back in 2019, which eliminated the need for a new belt for every title defense. Instead, they would give a champion a belt for his first title win in any given division, customize it with his nameplate, and add rubies for every title defense.

So, when the employee said Yan already has one, he was right. It was his “I’ll tell Hunter [Campbell]” comment that rubbed fans the wrong way. Yan’s belt from the 2020 title win belongs to him, and any rubies for subsequent title defenses will be added there. Valentina Shevchenko‘s belt received the same treatment after she lost her title in 2023 and reclaimed it in 2024. If you see fighters posing with multiple titles for corresponding defenses, it is likely lent by the UFC for photo ops.

Meanwhile, Russian media channel Ushataykla clarified that the UFC employee believed Petr Yan wanted to take both belts home, which is why he refused. Now, there is a way Yan can get another belt. According to UFC.com, “Athletes who win titles across multiple weight classes will be awarded one belt per division.”

So, there you go. ‘No Mercy’ can get a second individual belt if he takes it from Joshua Van or Alexander Volkanovski, the immediate champions below and above him, respectively. Speaking of which, what is Yan’s immediate next plan?

Yan avoids committing to an immediate trilogy clash with Merab Dvalishvili

After losing his belt to Petr Yan at UFC 323, Merab Dvalishvili quickly called for a rematch, a move that gained support from many in the MMA world. Despite this, ‘No Mercy’ remains unsure about an immediate trilogy. Since he did not get a timely title shot, he does not want to give Dvalishvili any advantage soon after their memorable clash at the T-Mobile Arena.

During the post-fight press conference, reporters asked the Russian about a potential trilogy. “I think Merab should get the boys, get into the jacuzzi, and then we’ll see,” Yan said at the UFC 323 post-event news conference.

Before bouncing back into title contention, Petr Yan endured a rough patch in his career, going 1-4. He is now on a four-fight winning streak. “Just understand the fact that for me to get the opportunity to fight for the belt again, UFC made me go three more fights before I was able to get into the contender position again,” Yan added. But later, he acknowledged that if anyone deserved an immediate rematch, it was the unbelievably active Dvalishvili. In short, he’ll comply with whatever the UFC asks.

What’s your take on Petr Yan’s performance? Do you think Dvalishvili deserves a trilogy soon? And what do you make of the UFC’s belt fiasco? Share your thoughts below.