Marcus McGhee says UFC has ‘pushed me back’ since Petr Yan fight

Marcus McGhee has expressed frustration with his UFC matchmaking, believing the promotion has deliberately restricted his path forward since his loss to Petr Yan last year. The bantamweight fighter (11-2) had won his first four UFC bouts before stepping up to face Yan, who earned a unanimous decision and subsequently claimed the bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili. McGhee rebounded with a June victory over John Yannis but questions why he faces lower-ranked opposition while other fighters advance more rapidly. Scheduled to fight Bernardo Sopai (13-3) at UFC 332 on October 3, McGhee acknowledged accepting the bout to maintain activity, but in an interview with Full Send MMA he highlighted perceived inconsistencies in matchmaking. He pointed to fellow fighter Payton Talbott co-headlining the same card and Raoni Barcelos headlining UFC Vegas 121 the previous week, suggesting the UFC has other available opponents but chooses its pairings strategically. "I feel like it's hindered me," McGhee said. "I do feel like they have been pushing me back since that fight." McGhee remained committed to his trajectory, pledging to keep winning fights and proving himself worthy of higher-tier opposition. His comments reflect the common frustration in MMA where fighters feel their momentum stalls after stepping up in competition, even when facing top-tier opponents.