Rani Yahya glad Kyung Ho Kang bout was re-booked: 'I need to put my hands on him'
LAS VEGAS – Rani Yahya is happy to be picking up right where he left off.
The veteran bantamweight fighter returns to action this Saturday on the main card of UFC Fight Night 198. Yahya (27-10-1 MMA, 12-4-1 UFC) takes on Kyung Ho Kang in a bantamweight contest.
The two were originally scheduled to fight on July 31 at UFC on ESPN 28, but the bout was pulled hours from the event as Yahya tested positive for COVID-19.
The Brazilian is glad the UFC matchmakers kept the matchup intact and they’re finally fighting months later.
“I think it was better for it to be against him because we did everything before – we had the camp, we had the weigh-ins, we had the faceoff,” Yahya told MMA Junkie at the UFC Fight Night 198 media day. “The only thing that didn’t happen was the actual fight. During the faceoff, I felt a hit. All with respect, he’s a respectful guy, but I felt I need to put my hands on him.”
Watch Yahya’s full pre-fight scrum in the video above.