Las Vegas, NV – When you’re a UFC veteran and a known finisher, you get the co-main event spot.
In his lone fight last year, Rani Yahya fought to the first draw of his career against Enrique Barzola. However, he got back in the win column against Ray Rodriguez earlier in 2021 at UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Muhammad in what he considers a significant win.
“It was a very big moment, especially after the fight I had in 2020; it was a draw. That fight hurt because I had the fight in my hands. I won the first two rounds and then I kind of let my opponent beat me 10-8 in the last round. I could have put in a little more effort, so I kept myself very motivated during the pandemic 2020. I kept training, and the opportunity came after a year,” Yahya told reporters during the UFC Vegas 33 media day on Thursday.
When the original co-main event of UFC Vegas 33 fell through, Yahya and his opponent Kyung Ho Kang got bumped up to the co-main.
The Brazilian is excited to be the co-main event.
“It feels great; it’s pretty big. Big recognition for me…I finish most of my fights, Ho Khang does his job too, I think he got Fight of the Night a couple of times, so this fight will be exciting,” Yahya said.
Watch the full UFC Vegas 33 media day scrum with Rani Yahya above. The event takes place this Saturday, July 31, at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, NV.
