UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan could be facing an extended spell on the sidelines after undergoing major surgery in recent days.
Petr Yan delivered one of the biggest upsets of 2025 when he dethroned Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 323. In a long-awaited rematch, Yan defeated Dvalishvili by unanimous decision to reclaim the UFC bantamweight title and snap the Georgian’s dominant win streak.
The victory immediately reignited talk of high-profile matchups. A rematch with former champion Sean O’Malley surfaced as a leading option for Yan’s first title defense, while a potential trilogy with Dvalishvili also loomed after the former champion hinted at waiting for another shot.
Those plans, however, may be on pause. Yan revealed on Instagram on Wednesday that he underwent a nine-hour operation on his lower back to address an undisclosed issue. While the surgery was successful, the timeline for his return remains uncertain.
“I was under anaesthesia for nine hours. I had surgery on my lower back yesterday,” Yan wrote. “A couple of months and I’ll be back in action.”
The update suggests Petr Yan could miss the early part of 2026, depending on how his recovery progresses. Still, the champion sounded optimistic about returning later in the year and potentially locking in his next fight by mid-summer.
Yan’s setback adds another wrinkle to an already crowded bantamweight title picture. With the champion recovering, contenders like O’Malley, Merab Dvalishvili, Umar Nurmagomedov, and others now have time to strengthen their cases for the next title shot.
The news also comes amid movement across the division. At UFC 324, O’Malley bounced back from back-to-back losses to Dvalishvili with a unanimous decision win over Song Yadong, while Umar Nurmagomedov impressed with a victory against former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo.
Yan’s injury places him among a growing list of champions dealing with health setbacks outside the Octagon. UFC women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison recently withdrew from her scheduled bout due to a neck injury, with no clear return date announced.
For now, Petr Yan remains focused on recovery, while the UFC weighs its next move in the bantamweight division. More clarity on the champion’s return, and the next title fight , should emerge in the coming weeks.
