The bantamweight division is about to get wild again, because Merab Dvalishvili and Petr Yan are squaring off for a third time, and this one feels like everything. These two have already spent 50 minutes absolutely going at it inside the octagon, and after Yan snapped Dvalishvili’s incredible 14-fight winning streak last December, the stakes for this trilogy bout are through the roof.
The Score Is Settled, But The War Isn’t Over
Remember back in March 2023? Dvalishvili took the first fight by unanimous decision in Las Vegas. Everyone knew it was a tough matchup, but Merab showed up. Fast forward to UFC 323, and Yan came back with a vengeance, beating Dvalishvili by unanimous decision to even the score. Yan avenged that loss, no question. Now, here we are, just weeks away from Oct. 24, with the trilogy fight set as the co-main event at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi. This isn’t just another fight, it’s the rubber match, the decider.
Dvalishvili’s Personal Stakes and Secret Weapons
Merab isn’t shying away from how big this is. “He’s the most dangerous guy in my weight class, especially at this moment,” Dvalishvili told UFC on Paramount+. “I know I will have a hard fight again but this time I will make sure I’m going to win.” And get this, he admitted he was straight-up nervous in their first fight, citing the Russia-Georgia history as making it “more personal” for him. For the rematch, he felt like he “wasn’t fighting my fight.” So, what’s different now? Dvalishvili is hyping up new tools. Yan’s style is legit tough, no doubt. Dvalishvili recognizes it: “It’s hard to take him down. He stops your takedown. It’s hard to strike with him because he has good, good boxing, good kicking and good cardio.” But Merab’s got a plan. He said, “I have some tools that I haven’t showed so I think I’m going to show this time.” Imagine that: 50 minutes of intense fighting, and he’s still got tricks up his sleeve that we haven’t even glimpsed.
This isn’t just about a win, it’s about history. Dvalishvili knows it: “This fight will be super important for my legacy if I win.” He says beating the “most dangerous guy in my weight class” twice would let him “sleep very peacefully.” A victory would make him a two-time titleholder with five title fight wins, and honestly, you’d have to put him in the conversation for the greatest bantamweight champion ever. Get ready for Oct. 24, folks. This one’s gonna be a banger.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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