For that win and storyline, former UFC double champion Henry Cejudo believes Yan is the “Fighter of the Year.”
“Call me crazy, and I know a lot of people have been giving it to Merab because he fought four times, but the reality is, you’re only as good as your last fight,” Cejudo explained on his podcast (via Harry Kettle). “I’ve got to give it to Petr Yan. Why? Because the story is there. What he was able to do, who he fought to get to the title, and then avenge the loss when he got 50-45’d against Merab the first time.
“To come back and actually beat him, to me, was impressive. … It is quality vs. quantity, and just the simple fact that he was able to beat Merab after being 50-45’d, to me, that’s grit. That’s Fighter of the Year. That’s someone who didn’t give up on his dream and still came back five years after he became champion.”
Yan’s performance against Dvalishvili was definitely one of the best of the year outright, and the history between them only made it more impressive. However, it’s also his only title win, as his only other appearance in 2025 was a 29-28 decision victory over Marcus McGhee. That’s a good win, but any “Fighter of the Year” argument for Yan is relying almost entirely on the Dvalishvili performance, while other champions won multiple title bouts.
Who is your fighter of the year, Maniacs?
