Merab Dvalishvili stated that he believes his fight with Petr Yan will take place at UFC 330 in August. Dvalishvili noted that since Yan holds the belt, the Russian fighter decides when he wants to return to competition. The Georgian fighter expressed that this timing would be ideal, as it would place the bout on the same card as Islam Makhachev's title defense. No official confirmation from the UFC has been mentioned in this report. The post reflects Dvalishvili's expectations rather than a finalized booking.
Merab Dvalishvili says he expects a rematch with bantamweight champion Petr Yan to land on the UFC 330 card in August, though no official booking has been confirmed by the promotion.
Dvalishvili, known as "The Machine," enters the anticipated rematch as the number-one ranked bantamweight and the second-ranked fighter pound-for-pound in the world. The 35-year-old Georgian, who trains out of Serra-Longo Fight Team, carries a 21-5 record and is one of the division's most relentless pressers, averaging 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes — a figure that puts him among the most prolific grapplers in the sport.
Yan, who holds the bantamweight title, is listed as the deciding factor in the timeline according to Dvalishvili, who noted that the Russian champion controls when he chooses to return to competition. "No Mercy" owns a 20-5 record and brings elite striking to the cage, landing 5.12 significant strikes per minute at 54 percent accuracy. The 33-year-old from Russia represents one of the sharpest technical strikers in the 135-pound division.
Dvalishvili also indicated that his preference for August stems from the prospect of sharing a card with Islam Makhachev's title defense. Makhachev, the reigning welterweight champion and the top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world, holds a 28-1 record and has established himself as the sport's dominant force across divisions.
Why it matters
- A Yan-Dvalishvili rematch would be a bantamweight title fight between two of the division's sharpest stylistic contrasts — elite wrestling versus elite striking
- Dvalishvili's ranking at number one makes him the clear mandatory challenger
- Placement alongside a Makhachev title defense would position UFC 330 as one of the year's highest-profile cards
- The story remains unconfirmed and reflects Dvalishvili's expectations only
Merab Dvalishvili vs Petr Yan
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