Merab Dvalishvili says he is still waiting "patiently" for a trilogy fight with Petr Yan. The two bantamweights have split their previous encounters, setting up a potential rubber match.
Merab Dvalishvili has publicly stated he is waiting "patiently" for a trilogy fight against bantamweight champion Petr Yan, with the two men having split their first two meetings and a deciding bout yet to be made official.
Dvalishvili, known as "The Machine," enters the picture as the number-one ranked bantamweight and the second-ranked fighter pound-for-pound. The 35-year-old Georgian, who trains out of Serra-Longo Fight Team, carries a professional record of 21-5. He is one of the division's most relentless grapplers, averaging 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes, and also pushes a significant volume on the feet at 4.33 significant strikes landed per minute.
Yan, the reigning bantamweight champion, brings an equally impressive 20-5 record into the equation. The 33-year-old Russian, fighting out of Archangel Michael Club, is a switch-stance striker who lands 5.12 significant strikes per minute at a 54-percent accuracy rate — among the sharper outputs in the 135-pound division. At five-foot-seven with a 67-inch reach, he holds a slight physical edge over Dvalishvili.
Why it matters
- The series is tied at one win apiece, making a trilogy fight a natural and logical next step for the division.
- Dvalishvili's top ranking at 135 pounds strengthens his case as the mandatory challenger for Yan's title.
- A wrestler with elite volume against a precise, high-accuracy striker sets up a compelling stylistic contrast that defined their earlier encounters.
Merab Dvalishvili vs Petr Yan
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