Sarvarjon Hamidov, one of the top bantamweights in MMA, made a successful comeback after a year on the sidelines, comfortably defeating Justin Wetzel at PFL San Diego. The Tajik fighter opened up about training alongside Petr Yan and Movsar Evloev, and addressed the possibility of a rematch with Magomed Magomedov.
Sarvarjon Hamidov made a triumphant return to action at PFL San Diego on July 1, ending a year-long absence from competition with a comfortable victory over Justin Wetzel. The Tajik bantamweight used the occasion to speak publicly about his training environment and the prospect of settling unfinished business with Magomed Magomedov.
Hamidov is widely regarded as one of the premier bantamweights in MMA, and the win reaffirmed his standing near the top of the 135-pound division. In the interview, he discussed the quality of his preparations, revealing that his camps have included work alongside Petr Yan and Movsar Evloev. Yan, the 33-year-old Russian currently holding bantamweight gold, carries a 20-5 record and is a volume striker of the highest caliber, landing 5.12 significant strikes per minute at 54 percent accuracy. Evloev, meanwhile, is the unbeaten featherweight ranked first in his division at 20-0-0, a 32-year-old Russian out of American Top Team who averages nearly five takedowns per 15 minutes. The access to two fighters of that caliber speaks to the level at which Hamidov is preparing.
On the subject of Magomed Magomedov, Hamidov addressed the possibility of a rematch with the 33-year-old Russian known as TIGER. Magomedov carries a 21-5 record and is a notably precise operator, landing at a striking accuracy rate of 63.4 percent.
Why it matters
- Hamidov's clean return from a year off reasserts his bantamweight credentials at a critical time in a competitive division
- Training alongside champion Petr Yan signals a high-level camp and potential connections to title contention
- A potential rematch with Magomedov would carry significant divisional weight given both men's standings
