Sean O'Malley has followed Henry Cejudo by refusing to corner Petr Yan for his UFC 273 title fight on Saturday.
Interim titleholder Yan fights undisputed champion Aljamain Sterling in the co-main event of this weekend's card in Jacksonville, Florida. The Russian will be without his usual corner team for the title fight as they were denied US Visas last month.
The decision comes after tough sanctions have been issued on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in February. Yan has insisted that former two-weight UFC champion Cejudo and O'Malley will corner him, but 'Suga' has stated otherwise.
"I wouldn't corner that f***ing... I don't care if he wins. "I like Peter, you know? He's a funny little poodle. I wanted to just square up with him," O'Malley said on his podcast.
Who wins this Saturday - Aljamain Sterling or Petr Yan? Let us know in the comments section below
Cejudo had previously accepted Yan's offer to corner him, stating: "Get me a booster seat and I’ll work your corner…you kneed me". But 'Triple C' backtracked on his comments by telling the Russian that he wouldn't be his "waterboy".
Yan told The MMA Hour he is "totally serious" that Cejudo and O'Malley will be in his corner despite the pair turning down the offer. Cejudo is in Florida to help The Korean Zombie prepare for his featherweight title with Alex Volkanovski.
"I hope [Henry] Cejudo and Sean O'Malley show up Saturday night, just need to make sure they don't give me s*** advice. Just give me ice and water and I'll be fine. Like I told you, there's going to be one short cornerman and one tall one. Cejudo, Sean O'Malley, see you Saturday brother!".
Yan is the betting favourite ahead of his rematch with Sterling despite the American currently holding the undisputed title. The pair fought at UFC 259 last March when Yan was disqualified for landing an illegal knee.
Sterling was in tears after becoming the first UFC fighter in history to win a world title by disqualification. Yan has told 'Funkmaster' that their rematch will end worse for him, as the American won't be crying but instead sleeping.
"I kill him. He will feel better how it was last time, last time he cried after this fight he won't cry, he will sleep," Yan said. "I want to make sure there won’t be no questions left after this and I will make sure there will be no questions left."
