The UFC bantamweight world title fight between champion Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling, which was originally scheduled for UFC 256 on December 12, has been delayed until 2021 it was revealed Sunday.
Following an initial report by MMA Insight, it was later confirmed that the bout had been scrapped from the card and will instead take place next year at a date yet to be revealed. Specific reasoning for the switch hasn’t been revealed, other than Yan’s withdrawal being framed around ‘personal reasons’.
This is the second title fight to have been moved from the UFC 256 card after featherweight champion Amanda Nunes was also withdrawn from her title defence against Megan Anderson and now leaves the year-end card without its original two featured bouts.
One potential addition to the card looks set to be flyweight king Deiveson Figueiredo who is understood be close to agreeing terms to face Brandon Moreno at the stop of the card in what would be his fourth UFC title bout in the pandemic-hit year — and comes after he needed less than two minutes to dispatch Alex Perez in Saturday’s UFC 255 headliner.
A co-main event featuring Tony Ferguson and Charles Oliveira also looks close to being added to the card in what will be the American’s first fight since he had his winning streak snapped by Justin Gaethje earlier this year. Oliveira, meanwhile, can be considered among the ‘dark horses’ in the UFC”s lightweight frame having won seven straight fights — including an impressive submission win against Kevin Lee last March.
