Rani Yahya, who was forced to withdraw from a 2022 match against Cody Garbrandt due to a neck injury, is now set to face Victor Henry at UFC Vegas 91 and has expressed interest in revisiting the match against Garbrandt.
Rani Yahya had a match lined up with Cody Garbrandt in 2022. But, a stubborn neck injury had other plans. It forced Yahya to step down.
Fast forward to now. Yahya’s got Victor Henry in his sights. They’re set to clash this Saturday at UFC Vegas 91. Yet, Yahya can’t shake off the thought of that missed match with Garbrandt.
He confessed to MMA Fighting, “That fight was in my mind for a long time. It was going to be the biggest fight of my life.” Garbrandt, a former champ, was a big deal. The match was even slated as a co-main event. Yahya added, “Yes, [re-booking it] definitely is something I would like to do. My focus is on Victor Henry and that’s all I’m thinking right now. But, I admit that I do think about fighting Cody Garbrandt.”
Garbrandt’s been busy. He scored wins against Trevin Jones and Brian Kelleher after the Yahya match fell through. But, he lost his most recent outing against Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 300.
Yahya, now 39, is also looking to bounce back. He suffered a TKO at the hands of Montel Jackson in April 2023. A planned fight with Alatengheili had to be scrapped due to injuries. But now, he’s back in fighting shape.
“The doctors said I was cleared to fight [Alateng] but I still had some issues to fix,” Yahya said. He decided to take some time off. He wanted to heal completely before returning to the ring. With 22 years in the sport and more than 40 fights under his belt, he wanted to ensure he was at his best. “I feel good now, and I want to use that experience in my favor.”
Yahya’s record in the octagon is impressive. He’s won 13 out of his 20 appearances. He’s also had a draw and one no-contest. His jiu-jitsu skills have helped him submit seven opponents.
Henry, on the other hand, has two UFC victories. Both were decisions over Tony Gravely and Raoni Barcelos. His last match ended in a no-contest due to an accidental groin strike.
Yahya’s take on Henry? “He’s an MMA fighter that prefers to stand and throws kicks. He moves well and has good volume, but I don’t think he has heavy hands. He gives up too many openings on the feet too, but has shown good conditioning. I think there are way too many openings I can explore.”
Yahya also believes Henry will want to avoid grappling. But he’s ready for anything. “His coaches might tell him to avoid grappling, but sometimes we go back to our instincts in a fight.”