Sarvarjon Hamidov, one of the top bantamweights in MMA, made a successful return after a year out of competition by decisively defeating Justin Wetzel at PFL San Diego. Hamidov discussed his training camp alongside Petr Yan and Movsar Evloev, as well as a potential rematch with Magomed Magomedov.
Sarvarjon Hamidov made a triumphant return to the cage at PFL San Diego on July 1, 2026, ending a year-long absence from competition with a dominant decision victory over Justin Wetzel.
Hamidov, widely regarded as one of the premier bantamweights in MMA today, showed no signs of rust in the performance. In a post-fight interview, he spoke about the quality of his training camp, noting that he had been working alongside two elite Russian fighters — Petr Yan and Movsar Evloev — in preparation for the bout.
Yan, a 33-year-old bantamweight champion carrying a 20-5 record, is one of the most decorated fighters in the 135-pound division. Fighting out of the Archangel Michael Club, the switch-stance striker lands an impressive 5.12 significant strikes per minute at 54 percent accuracy, making him one of the most precise volume strikers in the sport.
Evloev, 32, brings a different dimension to that training environment. The undefeated featherweight contender — ranked number one at 145 pounds with a perfect 20-0 record — operates out of American Top Team and averages a remarkable 4.78 takedowns per 15 minutes, giving him one of the sharpest wrestling-based games in his division.
Hamidov also addressed the possibility of a rematch with Magomed Magomedov, nicknamed TIGER. The 33-year-old Russian carries a 21-5 record and boasts a striking accuracy of 63.4 percent, making him an exceptionally precise offensive threat despite lower volume output.
Why it matters
- Hamidov's decisive return re-establishes him as a serious force in the PFL bantamweight picture
- Training alongside a champion in Yan and an undefeated top contender in Evloev signals a high-level camp environment
- A potential rematch with Magomedov would pit two of the more technically accomplished fighters in the division against each other
