Watching Rani Yahya put on yet another grappling clinic this past Saturday, you probably couldn’t tell just the type of sacrifice that had gone into making it up to the octagon in the first place. But then, shortly after a third-round armbar submission win over Russell Doane (15-8 MMA, 3-5 UFC), Yahya’s (25-9 MMA, 10-3 UFC) short-but-sweet speech told a tragic story. “Mom, wherever you are, I love you,” Yahya said in Portuguese. “You were the best mom in the world. Thank you for everything.” There’s isn’t really ever a good time for these things. But, in Yahya’s case, it was particularly unfortunate: His mom died a mere 11 days before UFC on FOX 28.
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