UFC’s Adrian Yanez lays out path to touchdown high 15 opponent

Adrian Yanez had a quantity subsequent to his title, however a latest two-fight skid despatched him again to the pool of unranked UFC bantamweights.

After being signed to the promotion from Dana White’s Contender Sequence in 2020, Yanez (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC) regarded like among the best prospects the present ever signed. He ripped via his first 5 opponents within the UFC, scoring 4 stoppages, and earned a promotional rating within the course of.

Then got here a few bumps within the highway, or “two wrongs” as Yanez calls it.

First, Rob Font floored Yanez with a proper hook within the first spherical for the primary stoppage lack of his profession. Six months later, Jonathan Martinez repeatedly chopped away with leg kicks to not solely win by TKO but in addition trigger an MCL tear that required surgical procedure to restore.

Yanez totally recovered and returned at UFC Battle Evening 241, stopping Vinicius Salvador within the first spherical with sharp punches. It was a profitable return, and one other spotlight for his reel, however Yanez is aware of there’s extra work to be accomplished earlier than he returns to the rankings.

“I used to be within the high 15, I misplaced to 2 high 15 guys,” Yanez instructed MMA Junkie Radio. “I’ve the employee’s thoughts ethic in my head. Like I did two wrongs, now I acquired to make three rights. I acquired to go on the market and for each 5 steps again I take, I acquired to take 10 steps ahead in a way.

“I felt like I didn’t deserve – particularly with a man like Salvador, like do I should battle a man who’s within the high 15 after knocking him out? A man developing from 125, 0-2 within the UFC, do I should battle a man within the high 15? I don’t assume that actually type of provides me a spot to battle a man who’s within the high 15. After all, I went on the market and did what I used to be presupposed to do to him. That is me objectively it.”

If Yanez may select his path, a great matchup could be in opposition to former flyweight champ Deiveson Figueiredo, who has been on a roll since making a everlasting transfer as much as bantamweight.

Nevertheless, Yanez is trustworthy with himself and is aware of his subsequent matchup will probably be one other title that might create an thrilling battle, however will probably be an opponent at present outdoors the highest 15. Friends akin to Daniel Santos and Victor Henry had been names on the tip of his tongue, and if he may face both on the Sphere in Las Vegas, that will be icing on the cake.

“If I may weasel my approach in and battle Figgy, that’d be f*cking superb, however I’m additionally type of it objectively,” Yanez mentioned.

“Am I going to get a Figgy battle? In all probability not. Am I going to get a man like Jose Aldo? No, I’m not. Am I going to get Petr Yan? No, I’m not. I wish to battle a man within the high 15, don’t get me mistaken. If the title comes up, and it’s a high 15 man – you’re going to inform me you’ve acquired a high 15 man, otherwise you’ve acquired Daniel Santos or Victor Henry, I’m going to go for the highest 15 man each single time.”