No doubt, UFC Abu Dhabi has surpassed all expectations with its relentless chaos and electrifying action. From the opening prelims to this point in the night, the pace hasn’t slowed for a moment. With three main card fights already wrapped up, the event is racing toward its blockbuster main event—but it’s the bantamweight co-main clash between former champion Petr Yan and No. 12-ranked Marcus McGhee that has fans locked in, delivering a war that’s stealing the spotlight.

Even though Marcus McGhee entered the MMA scene at the age of 30, he’s taken the late bloomer label in stride, proving that it doesn’t have to be a setback in the UFC. During the UFC Abu Dhabi co-main event, he showcased his relentless hunger and impressive grit for all to see. Right from the beginning, the oddsmakers were all in on Petr Yan, highlighting his championship experience and impressive 14-fight UFC background. What many expected to be a one-sided match, considering McGhee’s limited experience at the highest level, rapidly transformed into a fiercely competitive showdown.

What’s Petr Yan planning after beating Marcus McGhee at UFC Abu Dhabi?

In the opening round, McGhee caught Petr Yan off guard with crisp leg kicks and a few lunging punches to test his reach. Yan, however, leaned on his experience, landing a sharp right hand and showcasing flashes of his world-class boxing. But just as momentum leaned in ‘No Mercy’s favor, McGhee rocked him with a clean combo that flipped the script and, by the end of the first round, showed exactly why he belonged there.

The second round saw both Marcus McGhee and Petr Yan going toe-to-toe, exchanging strikes almost evenly and keeping the action tight—until ‘No Mercy’ landed a hard left in the closing seconds. While the Russian’s boxing was on point, McGhee applied more pressure with higher output and combinations. Yet, when it came to Petr Yan’s grappling and overall striking, McGhee couldn’t hold his ground. In the end, the judges scored the fight in favor of Petr Yan with (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

With the win, Yan finally put together a three-fight win streak after previously suffering three consecutive losses. Looking ahead, he called out reigning bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili, hoping to reclaim his title next. Notably, someone already scheduled ‘The Machine’ to face Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320 in October. Backing ‘No Mercy’s ambitions, former champion Henry Cejudo voiced his support on X shortly after the fight, writing: “Petr Yan vs the winner of Merab/Sandhagen. Book.”

On the other hand, former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad had a different idea for matchmaking. He posted on X: “Petr Yan vs Sean O’malley , Marcu McGhee vs Patchy Mix,” pushing for a fresh wave of bantamweight matchups.

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s theory shut down by Petr Yan

Petr Yan’s journey took a tough turn with his disqualification loss to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259. This moment not only stripped him of the bantamweight title but also kicked off his battle to get back to the pinnacle of the division. Even though ‘No Mercy’ clinched the interim title from Cory Sandhagen, it just didn’t bring back the spark of his former dominance. Instead, he found himself in a tough spot, enduring a three-fight losing streak that has become the most challenging phase of his UFC career, especially after such a rapid ascent to success.

Petr Yan was on fire at the height of his career, boasting an impressive 10-fight win streak and taking control of his opponents in and out of the UFC. However, the downturn that came after appeared to resonate with a long-standing perspective from UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, who famously asserted that a fighter can only hit their prime once. For a long time, it felt like the Russian’s career was following that narrative—until now.

With back-to-back victories restoring his momentum, Petr Yan is ready to challenge that narrative. Speaking to Red Corner MMA, ‘No Mercy’ responded directly to Nurmagomedov’s statement: “That’s Khabib’s theory,” Yan said at media day when asked about the legend’s claim that two peaks is not possible for a fighter (h/t Red Corner MMA). “Let him stick to it. I don’t know how to tell if you’re at your peak. You need to feel it, or show it. I feel like I have everything to get there.”

Additionally, it’s worth noting that Petr Yan has battled through significant injuries, including a ruptured ACL suffered in 2024. Yet he returned to win decisions over Deiveson Figueiredo and Song Yadong before tonight, which proves his resilience.

Petr Yan is on a roll with three consecutive wins, the latest being against Marcus McGhee. The big question now is whether Dana White and his team will give him a chance to face the winner of the upcoming showdown between Merab Dvalishvili and Cory Sandhagen. Share your prediction in the comments!