Rani Yahya was speculated to face Cody Garbrandt in 2022, however a lingering neck damage pressured him out of the match.
Now set to face Victor Henry on Saturday at UFC Vegas 91, Yahya desires to revisit the matchup.
“That combat was in my thoughts for a very long time, as a result of it was going to be the largest combat of my life,” Yahya instructed MMA Combating. “He’s a former champion, an enormous title, and it was going to be a co-main occasion on the time. Sure, [re-booking it] positively is one thing I wish to do. My focus is on Victor Henry and that’s all I’m considering proper now, the identical outdated cliche, however I admit that I do take into consideration preventing Cody Garbrandt.”
Garbrandt was victorious in opposition to Trevin Jones and Brian Kelleher after the Yahya match fell by, however misplaced his most up-to-date outing in opposition to Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 300.
Yahya, 39, additionally appears to be like to return to the win column after struggling a TKO by the hands of Montel Jackson in April 2023. The Brazilian bantamweight was pressured to cancel a deliberate combat with Alatengheili this previous October on account of accidents, however is lastly one hundred pc once more.
“The medical doctors mentioned I used to be cleared to combat [Alateng] however I nonetheless had some points to repair,” Yahya mentioned, “so I needed to heal every little thing and solely be again after I was able to placed on the very best efficiency I may. I made a decision to take a while off. I had no rush to return again to preventing, I needed to take time to recuperate and actually be effectively once more. I’ve been on this sport for 22 years and have plenty of mileage, greater than 40 fights, and half of these are within the UFC, so I need to placed on the very best efficiency I can. I really feel good now, and I need to use that have in my favor.”
Yahya has gained 13 of his 20 octagon appearances, a run that additionally features a draw and one no-contest. He used his jiu-jitsu expertise to submit seven of these opponents.
Henry holds two victories beneath the UFC banner, a pair of selections over Tony Gravely and Raoni Barcelos. His final match, versus Javid Basharat in October, resulted in a no-contest on account of an unintentional groin strike.
“He’s an MMA fighter that prefers to face and throws kicks,” Yahya mentioned of Henry. “He strikes effectively and has good quantity, however I don’t assume he has heavy palms, a deadly knockout artist. He provides up too many openings on the ft too, however has proven good conditioning. Nothing too unimaginable technique-wise, each on the ft and on the bottom. I believe there are means too many openings I can discover.
“Everybody I combat desires to keep away from grappling and I believe it’s going to be the identical with Henry, however he’s a man who normally likes to grapple. I’ve seen some fights the place he was capable of get again to his ft and defend effectively in opposition to the fence. Nothing out of the abnormal, however he may resolve to have interaction on the bottom and take the chance. I’ve seen him use foot locks, catch-wrestling model, and a few folks that have fought him gave me some suggestions. I’m prepared for all eventualities. His coaches may inform him to keep away from grappling, however generally we return to our instincts in a combat.”
