After Henry Cejudo injury, Petr Yan wants interim title fight against Aljamain Sterling

At UFC 238, the vacant bantamweight title was on the line as top contender Marlon Moraes was taking on flyweight champion Henry Cejudo. After a solid first round, the Brazilian started to fade and Cejudo TKO’d him in the third.

After the fight, the Olympic gold medalist mentioned how he wanted to defend both titles. However, that won’t happen this year as Henry Cejudo is out until early 2020 due to shoulder surgery. With that, Petr Yan wants an interim title fight against Aljamain Sterling, who both won their respective bouts at UFC 238.

“At this point, Petr has fought five times, five wins, in under 12 months,” Yan’s manager, Daniel Rubenstein, said to MMA Junkie. “No one has ever done that in the bantamweight division of the UFC. I feel Petr has earned his title shot at Henry, but with Henry being out for the rest of the year, if the UFC wants to do an interim title vs. Sterling, Petr is more than happy to oblige.”

Yan then went on to Twitter to continue to say this is the fight he wants.

If Cejudo will defend his flyweight title next, I can fight @FunkMaster_UFC for the interim belt in the main event of UFC Moscow in November. Anyone else like this idea? @danawhite @seanshelby

— Petr “No Mercy” Yan (@PetrYanUFC) June 13, 2019

“If Cejudo will defend his flyweight title next, I can fight (Aljamain Sterling) for the interim belt in the main event of UFC Moscow in November,” he wrote. “Anyone else like this idea? Dana White, Sean Shelby.”

With Cejudo out with injury, this fight makes even more sense https://t.co/L8rSJccyBI

— Petr “No Mercy” Yan (@PetrYanUFC) June 20, 2019

“With Cejudo out with injury, this fight makes even more sense,” Yan said after hearing of Cejudo’s injury

The fight does make sense given Sterling is currently ranked second in the bantamweight division, behind Moraes who lost to Cejudo. Yan, meanwhile, is ranked fourth, behind Raphael Assuncao who has a fight booked against Cory Sandhagen.

Whether or not the UFC wants to do an interim title fight is up in the air. But, both Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan are the top contenders in the bantamweight division.

Would you like to see Petr Yan take on Aljamain Sterling for the interim bantamweight title later this year? Sound off in the comment section, PENN Nation!

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 6/20/2019.