Merab Dvalishvili admits Petr Yan humbled him ahead of UFC 333 trilogy fight

Merab Dvalishvili has offered a candid admission about his rivalry with Petr Yan, acknowledging that the Russian bantamweight champion thoroughly outworked him in their second meeting ahead of their trilogy bout at UFC 333 on October 24 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

Speaking publicly, Dvalishvili did not deflect when Yan brought up their most recent fight. The Georgian contender said Yan "beat the sh*t" out of him and made him humble — a striking concession from a fighter not typically known for backing down from any narrative. That second bout, held at UFC 323, evened the rivalry at one win apiece, with Yan reclaiming the bantamweight title in the process.

Dvalishvili, nicknamed "The Machine," carries a 21-5 record and enters the trilogy as the No. 1 ranked bantamweight and the No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. The 35-year-old Georgian trains out of Serra-Longo Fight Team and has built his reputation on relentless pressure, posting an extraordinary 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing 4.33 significant strikes per minute.

Yan, 33, holds a 20-5 record and returns to the co-main event as the reigning bantamweight champion. Fighting out of Russia under the banner of Archangel Michael Club, the switch-stance striker is among the division's most technically refined finishers, landing 5.12 significant strikes per minute at a 54 percent accuracy rate — a figure that underscores why Dvalishvili's honesty about their last encounter carried real weight.

Why it matters

• The winner claims the undisputed bantamweight title with a definitive 2-1 series advantage
• A Dvalishvili victory would complete one of the more dramatic redemption arcs in recent divisional history
• The style contrast is stark: Yan's precise, high-volume striking against Dvalishvili's elite wrestling and relentless pace
• The co-main event slot on a major Abu Dhabi card elevates the fight's global profile significantly