When Petr Yan steps into the Octagon, he doesn’t tower over his opponents or overwhelm them with size. Yet he remains one of the most technically precise fighters the bantamweight division has ever seen. That contrast of modest physical tools paired with elite skill is a big part of what made “No Mercy” a UFC champion and why he now sits at #3 in the bantamweight rankings as he prepares for his rematch against the current champion, Merab Dvalishvili, at UFC 323.

And as fans study his stats and wonder how he measures up against taller, longer opponents, let’s start with the basics with Yan’s height and reach before breaking down how he weaponizes them in ways most fighters can’t!

How tall is Petr Yan? Height, weight, and reach measurements

According to his official UFC profile, Petr Yan stands 5 feet 7 inches tall and competes at 135 pounds in the bantamweight division. His reach, an important metric for striking specialists, sits at 67 inches, which is fairly average for the weight class.

Yan fights out of Russia and represents Team BK Arkhangel Mikhail, holding the nickname ‘No Mercy’ for good reason. Born on February 11, 1993, the 32-year-old uses a switch stance, allowing him to flow between orthodox and southpaw depending on range, pressure, or opponent.

His martial arts story began early: taekwondo in grade school, then boxing in his teenage years, eventually earning the respected Russian designation of ‘Master of Sport.’ That boxing base became the backbone of his MMA success, especially as he climbed through Absolute Championship Berkut (ACB), where he became bantamweight champion before signing with the UFC.

But despite his physical measurements being fairly standard, Petr Yan’s toughness, pressure, and technical discipline quickly set him apart. And that brings us to the real question: how does someone with average measurables turn into one of the most polished strikers the division has ever seen?

Physical disadvantage overcome by Yan’s technical skill and boxing prowess

Petr Yan’s rise didn’t happen because he was the biggest or the most explosive athlete. It happened because he learned to turn fundamentals into weapons. Long before he entered the UFC, Yan showed his potential in intense battles against Magomed Magomedov in ACB, where he proved he wasn’t just another aggressive bantamweight; he was a technician in the making.

When he joined the UFC, he immediately began overwhelming quality opponents. Fighters like Jimmie Rivera, John Dodson, and Urijah Faber, who had long been considered elite, found themselves struggling to win even a single round.

A big part of that success comes from his comfort in moving forward. Yan’s pressure is not reckless; it’s measured, consistent, and suffocating. Opponents know that if they allow him to march ahead unchecked, he will gradually dismantle them. So what’s the antidote? They must disrupt his rhythm. Threaten knees. Pivot before his feet set. Step into his space rather than concede it. Fighters who fail to interrupt Yan’s forward motion usually get swept into his pace.

His high guard is another signature. Many MMA fighters use high guards to protect their head, but ‘No Mercy’ elevates the technique by pairing it with subtle defensive tools taken from boxing, with hip folds, elbow adjustments, and constant upper-body movement. These micro-motions make him a slippery target. Even body shots, typically the best counter to a high guard, become difficult to land cleanly.

And while the Russian fighter’s defense is sophisticated, his counterattacks are what truly keep opponents honest. Every punch caught on his forearms becomes a chance for a “catch-and-shoot”, a technique where he immediately fires back after absorbing the shot on his guard, a technique that was also utilized to great effect by Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson during his time. 

Perhaps the most underrated aspect of Yan’s game is his footwork. Fans often talk about his big movements, shifts, blitzes, and stance switches, but it’s his small steps, the tiny angle changes, that allow him to evade while still being in a perfect position to return fire. Those steps make him appear calm, almost unbothered, even when opponents throw combinations.

That combination of composure, pressure, and economy of movement is how Petr Yan bridges physical gaps. Add in his plethora of trips, takedowns, and clinch work, and you get a fighter who is a tough out for anyone in the bantamweight division.  As he prepares to face Merab Dvalishvili again at UFC 323, the question isn’t whether Yan has the reach or the size; it’s whether ‘The Machine’ can once again keep him from turning the fight into the technical showcase that made him a champion in the first place!