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The pre-fight trash talk between Petr Yan and
Jose
Aldo has been limited heading into the bantamweight title clash
at UFC
251 — and for good reason.
A mutual respect was forged between the two men when Yan traveled
to Brazil to train with the former featherweight champion more than
four years ago.
“He came to Nova União when I was going to fight against Frankie
Edgar. Very young, very raw in the ground. But he was welcomed
as any other foreigner who came to help our camps,” Aldo
recently told Sherdog.com. “So I don’t see any reason for him
to say bad things about me. I also went to Russia and he welcomed
me there too. But that´s our job.”
Much has changed since then. Aldo has dropped a weight class in
hopes of making another title run, and Yan has emerged as one of
the top contenders in the bantamweight division. After studying
Aldo in preparation for their UFC 251 bout, Yan doesn’t believe
he’s seen much evolution from the 33-year-old Brazilian since they
trained together.
“It’s been a great experience training with him before. We sparred,
we grappled. It was more than four years ago. I think I’m a
better fighter since that time, but I don’t think he’s become a
better fighter since that time,” Yan said through a translator
during a virtual media day on Wednesday. “I think at best, he’s
stayed the same.”
Yan doesn’t think those sessions will benefit him much come
Saturday night in Abu Dhabi.
“I don’t think that training with him is gonna be a huge advantage
for me. There’s so much tape on him, so much video,” Yan said.
“He’s pretty much fighting with the same style for all of his
years. He’s gonna pressure, he’s gonna use his boxing and low
kicks. I don’t think it’s gonna be too much of an advantage for me.
Maybe it somehow will affect the fight because he knows me, I know
him, but I don’t think it’s gonna make a huge difference.”
Aldo was the first choice of opponent for former 135-pound king
Henry
Cejudo, but their proposed May booking was scrapped as the
coronavirus pandemic took hold around the globe. Instead, Cejudo
defeated Dominick
Cruz at UFC 249 on May 9 and retired.
Despite a loss in his banamweight debut this past December, Aldo
managed to stay in the title bout even with Cejudo out of the
picture. For Yan, it doesn’t matter whether he fights Aldo or a top
contender like Aljamain
Sterling.
“I would’ve fought anyone,” Yan said. “It’s not my decision to make
the challengers for the vacant belt. The matchmakers decided that
it was gonna be Aldo, and I’m glad it’s Aldo. He’s a very good
fighter and a legend of the sport. As they said, Sterling is
probably going to be next.”
Yan has maintained his respect for Aldo throughout the build-up to
their fight, and he expects that they both will be focused on one
primary goal when the Octagon door closes. Their shared past
becomes a non-factor with championship gold at stake.
“He didn’t offend me in any way during promotion. Of course we have
to promote the fight, but we do respect each other,” Yan said.
“Us knowing each other, I don’t think it’s gong to affect the
fight. He has a goal to become a champion; I have a goal to become
a champion. I don’t think it’s going to affect the fight.”