First, it was Jeff Monson. Then it was Khabib Nurmagomedov. Now, it is Petr Yan’s turn. Wondering what they all have in common? Russian President Vladimir Putin!

For a fighter known for bringing chaos inside the Octagon, this was a very different kind of stage. Petr Yan wasn’t fighting for a belt this time; he was standing inside the Kremlin, receiving one of Russia’s highest civilian medals from President Vladimir Putin.

The UFC bantamweight champion received the “For Merit to the Fatherland” medal during a ceremony attended by some of the country’s finest athletes. For the unaware, it’s an award typically reserved for contributions to sports and national pride, which the 33-year-old has slowly built over the years through his peak performances at the highest level of MMA.

And in Petr Yan’s case, the timing makes it even more significant.

This honor comes just months after he reclaimed the bantamweight title. His win over Merab Dvalishvili not only restored his status but also redefined his legacy. After a tough spell that saw him fall out of contention, ‘No Mercy’ rebuilt everything from the ground up and earned his way back to the championship.

The case was similar for Khabib. After his historic UFC 229 win over Conor McGregor in October 2018, Putin had a chat with ‘The Eagle’ over calls and in actual meetings. Khabib’s father, Abdulmanap, was present in the meeting as well.

Putin reportedly paid him in property worth $20 million. UFC CEO Dana White said on a podcast in 2024, “He[Khabib] didn’t even make it back to his dressing room after the fight, and Putin was on the phone. Putin gave him and his father, like, $20 million worth of property in Russia.”

But for American MMA star Jeff Monson, the case was a little different.

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Monson has almost a hundred professional MMA bouts to his name. ‘The Snowman’ has fought under the UFC and Strikeforce banners and built ties with high-profile Russian politicians during his career. This fame in the Russian circles earned him citizenship by presidential decree in 2018.

As for Petr Yan, he finds himself in a peculiar situation. He’s a champion again—but not an active one, at least for the moment. A back injury has sidelined him, and his recovery is expected to last until the summer. So, while this ceremony had little to do with punches or scorecards, it still arrived at a critical point in his career because the next move matters.

With Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili tied at one win apiece, a trilogy fight feels inevitable. But according to Sean O’Malley, it’s a bad idea for ‘No Mercy’ to go against ‘The Machine’ next.

Sean O’Malley warns Petr Yan against fighting Merab Dvalishvili

That inevitable trilogy now comes with a complication because, as Petr Yan recovers from surgery, stepping into a fight with Dvalishvili may not be as simple as it initially seemed. In fact, according to Sean O’Malley, it’s a risk that could cost him more than just the belt.

“I want Petr Yan next,” Sean O’Malley said on his YouTube channel. “I hate the idea of him coming off back surgery and fighting Merab. Especially if he tries to rush it, I f—– rushed it with my hip, and that’s completely different than a back.

“I don’t know what or how extensive his back surgery is; like, it sounds bad, and then you’re gonna fight Merab? You’re gonna fight Merab within a year of having back surgery? It sounds like a terrible mistake, so I don’t know.”

At the same time, ‘Suga’ didn’t hide his personal interest in the situation. He positioned himself as the safer and more intelligent choice for Petr Yan’s return, providing a stylistic clash that does not revolve around constant grappling exchanges.

“I’m not gonna go out there and shoot and try and wrestle him,” he continued. “Why would you fight Merab after back surgery when you can fight me?

“I suck at wrestling; I can’t grapple; I’m 1-2 in my last 3.”

But that path depends on one thing—handling his own business first. So, to even try to get his hands on the title, Sean O’Malley will have to convincingly win against Aiemann Zahabi in the scheduled White House clash. Until then, Petr Yan’s next move remains uncertain, and the risk-reward equation is far from simple.