Petr Yan, the bantamweight champion, emerged victorious over former titleholder Merab Dvalishvili in their highly anticipated trilogy fight at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. The judges saw it 48-47 across the board for Yan, a scorecard that tells you just how much of a war these two put on. This wasn’t some easy night out. This was a gritty, five-round battle for the ages.
Dvalishvili’s Early Surge Couldn’t Seal the Deal
Right from the opening bell, this fight felt like unfinished business. Remember the first clash in March 2023? Dvalishvili shut Yan out with a unanimous decision win. Yan got his revenge at UFC 323, evening the score with his own unanimous decision. So, coming into this, the stakes were sky-high. In the co-main event, Yan started by taking the center, inching forward like he meant business. But Dvalishvili landed first, with a leg kick, then a clean right hand stepping into the pocket. He was relentless on the takedown attempts early, trying to get Yan to the canvas. Yan defended, shook him off, stayed upright through multiple tries. Dvalishvili’s output was furious, a high-volume offense in that first round, finally securing a takedown that Yan popped right back up from, though he stayed in the clinch. MMAWeekly had it 10-9 for Dvalishvili, and honestly, you saw why.
Round two was more of the same early pressure from Dvalishvili, opening with a leg kick, bouncing on the outside. Yan landed a right and pressed, but Dvalishvili kept finding his timing for takedowns. Yan would get to his feet, scramble back up, or just separate, but Dvalishvili was like a dog on a bone with those takedown attempts. Every time Yan would get up, Merab was looking for another shot. Yan did manage to inch forward and unload a combination, but the story of the first two frames was Dvalishvili’s relentless, high-output attack. MMAWeekly again scored it 10-9 for Dvalishvili. If you were watching, you had to wonder if Yan was going to be able to turn the tide.
Yan’s Relentless Pressure and Body Shots Turn the Tide
Then, things started to shift. Yan opened the third with a leg kick, and Dvalishvili responded with punches, still pressuring hard. But then Yan landed to the body with a kick. He easily stuffed a takedown attempt. Dvalishvili’s output was still furious, but Yan connected with a hard right hand that got his attention. Yan landed a combination that had Dvalishvili diving for a takedown, which Yan defended. A kick to the body actually hurt Dvalishvili, and Yan followed up with another one. This was Yan’s round, no doubt. MMAWeekly saw it 10-9 Yan, and suddenly, we had a fight on our hands.
Yan wasn’t letting up in the fourth. Dvalishvili immediately went for another takedown, and Yan stuffed it cold. Yan landed a counter left hand, and Dvalishvili’s takedown attempts just weren’t working anymore. Yan pressed forward, connected with a right, then a left hand to the body that really got Dvalishvili’s attention. He landed another clean right hand. Dvalishvili clinched, but couldn’t get Yan to the ground. Yan continued to target the body, finding a home for his jab, stalking Dvalishvili across the cage. He even landed a knee on the break and finished the round with another kick to the body. MMAWeekly scored the fourth 10-9 for Yan. We were going into the final round knotted up on those unofficial cards!
The Judges Crown a King After a Gritty War
The fifth round started with Dvalishvili still looking for takedowns, and Yan still stuffing every single one of them. Dvalishvili landed a combination, but Yan pressed forward, even attempting a takedown himself though he didn’t get it. A left hand got through Dvalishvili’s defense, and Yan exploded forward with a combination. A hard left hand knocked Dvalishvili back. Yan followed with a kick to the body. Then, a jumping knee that Dvalishvili somehow ate, but you could feel Yan beginning to take control late in the frame. He landed another combination, another kick to the body. MMAWeekly scored the final round 10-9 for Yan, giving him the fight.
When the official scores came in, it was no surprise that all three judges had it 48-47. Every single judge saw the same gritty war, the back and forth, the momentum shifts. Petr Yan, the champion, avenged his earlier loss to Dvalishvili and closed out this incredible trilogy with a decisive victory. What a fight.
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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