Is Petr Yan the UFC Bantamweight GOAT? Dana White Thinks So

Is UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan the best to ever do it at 135 lbs? UFC president Dana White seems to think he is.

Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili in the pair’s trilogy bout in the predominant occasion of UFC 333 in what was one of the best fights of the yr, with the pair successful $100,000 each for the Fight of the Night bonus.

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This is Yan’s second bantamweight title reign, and now, at age 32, he seems to be even higher than ever.

So, is he the best? White believes he is.

Dana White Says Petr Yan Is the Best Bantamweight Ever

Speaking to reporters post-UFC 333, White was requested if Yan is now the best bantamweight ever following his newest spectacular victory inside the Octagon, and the UFC bossman said that he can’t disagree with that notion.

“Yeah, it’d be tough to say no,” White said.

Petr Yan UFC Resume

Yan first entered the UFC in 2018 after having racked up an 8-1 document preventing in Russia.

He immediately turned heads inside the Octagon, successful his first seven UFC fights, including a knockout win over Urijah Faber at UFC 245 in December 2019 and a TKO win over Jose Aldo at UFC 251 in July 2020 that saw him seize the vacant bantamweight title.

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Yan lost his belt in his first title protection when he was DQed against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259 in March 2021. He bounced back against Cory Sandhagen in his next bout to claim the interim bantamweight title, but lost three straight fights after that, and it regarded like he could be carried out as a prime contender at that level.

But Yan once again went on a long win streak, beating Song Yadong, Deiveson Figueiredo, and Marcus McGhee to earn a rematch with Dvalishvili, whom he beat at UFC 323 in December 2025 to claim the UFC bantamweight belt once again. Then, he efficiently defended it against Dvalishvili in the pair’s epic trilogy bout at UFC 333.

Overall, it’s exhausting to argue against Yan’s resume, and although Dominick Cruz has a actual argument for the title of bantamweight GOAT, it does really feel like Yan has surpassed him at this level.

This article was initially printed on HEAVY

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