Adrian Yanez was ‘pissed’ by judge who scored his fight for Grant, wants to KO Sean O’Malley next

Adrian Yanez was shocked when he heard one judge score the fight 30-27, Davey Grant.

Yanez and Grant fought back at UFC Vegas 43 in a highly-anticipated bantamweight scrap. The fight delivered as it won Fight of the Night, but when it went to the scorecards, many expected Yanez to win 30-27 or 29-28. Yet, it ended up being a split decision which Yanez says pissed him off.

“I was immediately pissed. I looked at my coaches and thought I was hearing something and was delusional. Like after the fight, I was really confident I was getting the win,” Yanez said to BJPENN.com. “Then, when I heard 30-27 Grant, I started questioning if I actually did enough and won. To me, I thought I ran away with it. Luckily the other two judges did their job and scored it fairly cause all it took is for one more of them to take half the money from me which would suck especially cause I have a baby boy due in December. I was mad, even though I won, I’m still angry.”

Although he got his hand raised, Yanez admits the split decision is still bothering him. He now realizes he can’t trust judges. With that, he makes it clear, his next fight he will go back to getting knockouts and leaving the judges out of it.

“I’m always looking for the finish, but I knew he was super tough and durable,” Yanez explained. “But, my next fight, these guys are getting a pissed off Adrian. That split decision is terrible and I can’t let that happen again so I gotta knock these guys out again.”

When Adrian Yanez does step into the Octagon next, he already has a name in mind. After his fight, Sean O’Malley called him out for a scrap in March. According to Yanez, that fight is one that interests him as O’Malley is a big name and someone he believes he can knockout.

“I was surprised he called me out. But, getting called out by a guy like O’Malley only solidifies the fact I’m making waves in this division and getting to the top,” Yanez said. “He does have a fight in front of him. So, he has to get through Paiva before he can even fight me. If I did get the fight with O’Malley, knocking him out would give me so much joy. Like I KO O’Malley, I’m the new big star and maybe I get put on a Wheaties box (laughs).”

Although O’Malley called him out for March, Yanez hopes they can push it back until April or May. Yanez is having a baby boy in December, and he says he needs to get his mental health right after the death of his coach earlier this year.

If O’Malley is okay with waiting, Yanez says that is the fight to make as it would be hyped up. He also knows one of them is likely going to be put to sleep, and the winner would get a massive fight next.

“I’m taking a mandatory three months off because of my baby being born in December. I also haven’t really mourned over my coach’s death, so I need to get my mental health in check to deal with it. I want to come back in April, May. So if O’Malley wants to wait until then, I’m more than happy to fight him then and knock him out then,” Yanez concluded.

Would you like to see Adrian Yanez vs. Sean O’Malley next?