By Bloody Elbow,Christopher De Santiago

Copyright yardbarker

Jimmie Rivera says Petr Yan is ‘hands down’ the best striker he’s ever fought

Former top-five contender Jimmie Rivera went the distance with a 26-year-old Yan at UFC 238 back in 2019.

Rivera outlanded Yan in strikes 76-58, but Yan knocked him down twice across three rounds to secure a unanimous decision.

Yan isn’t the only former world champion Rivera has come across, as the 28-fight MMA veteran has also shared the Octagon with Aljamain Sterling, Urijah Faber, Marlon Moraes, John Dodson, Daniel Straus, and Kai Stewart (BKFC).

Bloody Elbow asked Rivera which of his 32 past opponents, from MMA to bare knuckle boxing, had the best striking.

“Best striker all around?” Rivera said.

“I mean, you have different styles. There’s been guys I’ve fought that you hit him with everything and the sink and they keep coming forward.

“I’m gonna say that probably the best striker would be Petr Yan,” Rivera continued.

“Out of all the guys I fought, one of the best boxing, kickboxing, takedown defense…

“He’s hands down, a very good fighter,” Rivera said of Yan.