Petr Yan is bringing his SON into his corner for UFC 333! The UFC bantamweight champion revealed that his oldest son, Daniil, will be part of his corner team for his trilogy fight against Merab Dvalishvili in Abu Dhabi. And it was actually his son's idea! 🥹 🗣️ “He wanted to do it. Who am I to say no? The kid is growing up and plays sports. I think it'll be good energy for him.”
Petr Yan will have a family member in his corner when he defends the UFC bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi. The champion revealed that his oldest son, Daniil, will be part of his corner team for the trilogy fight, and that the idea came from the boy himself.
Yan said his son wanted to do it and that he saw no reason to refuse. He added that the kid is growing up and plays sports, and that he thinks it will be good energy for him.
Yan, 33, is 20-5-0 and holds the 135-pound belt. He took it from Dvalishvili at UFC 323 on December 6, 2025, winning a unanimous decision over five rounds. The Russian fights out of the Archangel Michael Club and works from a switch stance. He lands 5.12 significant strikes per minute at 54 percent accuracy, the sharper numbers of the two on the feet.
Dvalishvili, 35, is 21-5-0 and ranks first in the bantamweight division and second in the pound-for-pound list. The Georgian, who trains with the Serra-Longo Fight Team, brings a very different profile. He averages 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes, against 1.58 for Yan, and lands 4.33 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy. Before the loss to Yan, he had defended the title against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320 in October 2025, also by unanimous decision, and submitted Sean O'Malley at UFC 316 in June 2025.
Why it matters
- The series is level at one win apiece. Dvalishvili beat Yan by unanimous decision in March 2023, and Yan returned the favor in their title rematch, also over five rounds.
- Both previous meetings went the full distance, with the judges deciding each one.
- The physical gap is small. Dvalishvili stands 5'6" (168 cm) with a 68-inch (173 cm) reach, while Yan is 5'7" (170 cm) with a 67-inch (170 cm) reach, so the champion is two centimeters taller and the challenger has a three-centimeter reach edge.
- The stylistic split is clear in the numbers: Yan's striking output and accuracy against Dvalishvili's takedown volume.
For the champion, the bout adds a personal note to a fight that will decide who owns the rivalry.
Merab Dvalishvili vs Petr Yan
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