Bantamweight star Petr Yan is on a quest to reclaim the 135lbs title, as he’ll have to go through his opponent, Marcus McGhee, to proceed on his journey. ‘No Mercy’ will step inside the cage for a second time this year at UFC Abu Dhabi this Saturday. But instead of focusing on Yan’s next fight, a reporter had a pretty unpleasant question for the Russian national about his opponent, and guess what? The question was met with a witty reply.
Marcus McGhee is one of the most exciting up-and-coming fighters in the UFC, boasting a 10-1 record, although he was a pretty latecomer to the sport. Having turned pro in 2020 when he was around 30 years old, the bantamweight fighter has a 100 percent finishing rate in the UFC. Petr Yan’s upcoming opponent had a pretty tough time growing up, with his father reportedly being in prison for most of his life.
Meanwhile, Marcus McGhee moved to Arizona from Detroit as his mother was determined to keep him away from trouble. But due to causing trouble, he was kicked out of his house at the age of 18. But McGhee received the support of a family friend, who helped him get back into school, get a job, and just get on the right track. Well, one of his jobs seems to have been a bodyguard, and that too in a nightclub, according to a reporter who posed a question to Petr Yan during the recent media day.
The reporter in question asked what Petr Yan would have done if the roles were reversed, and he was the bodyguard, to see if he would let him into a club. As bizarre as this question is, Petr Yan did not seem too happy with such a question, as he’s preparing for a fight. So he gave the reporter a taste of his own medicine, as he replied at the media day, “Both you and him would not go through [a club if I was the security].”
March 11, 2023, Las Vegas, NV, Las Vegas, NV, USA: LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 11: Petr Yan prepares to fight Merab Dvalishvili in their Bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Dvalishvili event at The Theater at Virgin Hotels on March 11, 2023 in Las Vegas, NV, USA. Las Vegas, NV USA – ZUMAp175 20230311_zsa_p175_104 Copyright: xLouisxGrassex
Well, Petr Yan is as respectful a fighter as they come, and guess what? Marcus McGhee recently expressed his excitement about getting to share the cage against a former champion. In fact, ‘The Maniac’ was never expecting to get a fight against Yan this early into his UFC run.
Marcus McGhee is excited to take on Petr Yan
Marcus McGhee has had just four fights under the UFC banner, so he was never expecting Dana White and Co. to pair him up with Petr Yan. It was a pleasant surprise, as he’s ranked out of the top 10. While a win will definitely put McGhee into the conversation for a future title shot, ‘The Maniac’ is not really thinking about “the implications” of the clash this weekend against Petr Yan, although he’s focused on making a statement against a former champion.
“Honestly, anything can happen in this game, not too many times you are surprised, but when you’re No. 13, even when you’re winning the way I am, it was definitely surprising, but I was super stoked for the opportunity,” Marcus McGhee said during the media day. “I never really think about implications past fights… I’m always just focused on the task at hand and grateful for the task at hand, so I’m very, very focused on being intentionally present.”
Well, the Abu Dhabi card is looking pretty good for the fans, and we can expect fireworks from the Petr Yan vs Marcus McGhee fight as well. While ‘No Mercy’ showed his sportsmanship by getting back at the reporter, he will have to do the opposite when he’s locked inside the cage with the 10-1 contender. Who do you think will take the win this Saturday? Drop your comments below.
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