Rani Yahya
Brazil
Crumbles after fast start
Yahya lost to Victor Henry via TKO (strikes) at 2:36 of Round 3 at UFC on ESPN 55 on Saturday in Las Vegas.
ANALYSIS
Yahya looked good for about five minutes before the roof caved in in a major way. That's what happens when you're 39 years old. Rani is an elite submission specialist, but he's not much of a wrestler and has never offered much in terms of striking. As long as you don't put yourself in a terrible position on the mat, you have a really good chance of beating him. Yahya is 4-3-1 in his past eight fights, but that record is very misleading because he's only fought eight times since February 2018. The older Rani gets, the less effective he has become, and competing just once a year these days isn't going to get the job done.
Yahya looked good for about five minutes before the roof caved in in a major way. That's what happens when you're 39 years old. Rani is an elite submission specialist, but he's not much of a wrestler and has never offered much in terms of striking. As long as you don't put yourself in a terrible position on the mat, you have a really good chance of beating him. Yahya is 4-3-1 in his past eight fights, but that record is very misleading because he's only fought eight times since February 2018. The older Rani gets, the less effective he has become, and competing just once a year these days isn't going to get the job done.
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Set to face Victor Henry
Yahya (undisclosed) will fight Victor Henry at UFC Vegas 91 on April 27 in a bantamweight bout, Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl reports.
ANALYSIS
Yahya withdrew from his fight against Heili Alateng toward the end of last year due to an undisclosed injury. However, he seems to be better now, and he's now set to face Henry. This will be Yahya's first fight since a loss to Montel Jackson via KO in April 2023.
Yahya withdrew from his fight against Heili Alateng toward the end of last year due to an undisclosed injury. However, he seems to be better now, and he's now set to face Henry. This will be Yahya's first fight since a loss to Montel Jackson via KO in April 2023.
Withdraws from Alateng fight
Yahya withdrew from his fight against Heili Alateng at UFC Vegas 81, according to Nolan King of USA Today.
ANALYSIS
An undisclosed reason caused Yahya to withdraw from UFC Vegas 81. This marks Yahya's first withdrawal since September 2022, when he was supposed to fight Cody Garbrandt.
An undisclosed reason caused Yahya to withdraw from UFC Vegas 81. This marks Yahya's first withdrawal since September 2022, when he was supposed to fight Cody Garbrandt.
Scheduled against Alateng
Yahya will fight Heili Alateng in a bantamweight bout at UFC Vegas 81 on Oct. 14, according to Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl.
ANALYSIS
Yahya will try to redeem himself after suffering a KO loss against Montel Jackson at UFC Vegas 71. Alatang is 3-1-1 across his UFC career thus far, with his last loss occurring in 2021.
Yahya will try to redeem himself after suffering a KO loss against Montel Jackson at UFC Vegas 71. Alatang is 3-1-1 across his UFC career thus far, with his last loss occurring in 2021.
Not competitive in Vegas
Yahya lost to Montel Jackson via KO (punches) at 3:42 of Round 1 at UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Las Vegas.
ANALYSIS
Entering as by far the biggest underdog on the entire card at +425, Yahya had nothing. He got cracked with a massive left hand from Jackson, which, combined with some follow-up shots, forced referee Keith Peterson to step in. Yahya is one of the most decorated mat specialists in the history of the sport, but he's 38 years old and doesn't have a single knockout victory in well over 40 professional fights. There's most certainly the potential for Rani to be run of the building against quality competition at this stage of his career, as he was against Jackson. Yahya drops to 2-2-1 in his past five fights.
Entering as by far the biggest underdog on the entire card at +425, Yahya had nothing. He got cracked with a massive left hand from Jackson, which, combined with some follow-up shots, forced referee Keith Peterson to step in. Yahya is one of the most decorated mat specialists in the history of the sport, but he's 38 years old and doesn't have a single knockout victory in well over 40 professional fights. There's most certainly the potential for Rani to be run of the building against quality competition at this stage of his career, as he was against Jackson. Yahya drops to 2-2-1 in his past five fights.
Taking on Montel Jackson in April
Yahya (undisclosed) is scheduled to face Montel Jackson in a bantamweight bout scheduled for the UFC's April 22 event in Las Vegas, Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl reports.
ANALYSIS
Injuries prompted Yahya (28-10-1, 1 NC) to withdraw from both of his most recent two scheduled fights -- both which were set to come against Cody Garbrandt -- but he'll be healthy enough to make his return to the Octagon in late April. Yahya will be putting a two-fight winning streak on the line when he faces Jackson (12-2-0), a winner of three consecutive bouts.
Injuries prompted Yahya (28-10-1, 1 NC) to withdraw from both of his most recent two scheduled fights -- both which were set to come against Cody Garbrandt -- but he'll be healthy enough to make his return to the Octagon in late April. Yahya will be putting a two-fight winning streak on the line when he faces Jackson (12-2-0), a winner of three consecutive bouts.