Merab Dvalishvili Pinpoints the Yan Rematch Mistake Before Their UFC 333 Trilogy

Merab Dvalishvili doesn't need film study to know where the second Petr Yan fight went sideways. He fought Yan's fight. He stood in front of a proven striker, traded boxing, and lost the bantamweight belt he'd defended three times in a row. Now the two run it back a third time in the co-main event of UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 24.

The series sits at one apiece. Dvalishvili controlled their 2023 meeting with wave after wave of takedowns to bank a decision. Then Yan flipped the script at UFC 323, turning in a clean, patient performance to end Merab's reign and become a two-time champion. That loss also stopped Dvalishvili from setting a UFC record with a fourth successful title defense in a single calendar year.

Ahead of the trilogy, Dvalishvili told José Youngs he plans to stop borrowing Yan's toolkit. He said he made the mistake of exchanging on the feet last time instead of leaning on what got him the title in the first place. This time, he insists, he'll simply be himself, expects to be sharper, and believes he can beat Yan again. He isn't pretending Yan is anything but dangerous, either.

The Logjam Behind Them

While the top two have been parked, Yan's comeback slowed by back surgery, the rest of the division kept moving. Song Yadong scored a brutal knockout of former title challenger Umar Nurmagomedov, and Mario Bautista climbed past Cory Sandhagen in the rankings. Dvalishvili isn't worried about the traffic. He rattled off names he's watching, calling Raul Rosas a strong, tough young talent.

Song, in particular, has his attention. Dvalishvili stopped short of saying the knockout artist gives him chills, but he made clear the power intrigues him. He wants to test whether Song really hits, in his words, like a truck. That's a fight for after Yan, though. First there are another 25 minutes with a man who's already beaten him once.

Campaigning for Aljo

Even mid-camp, Dvalishvili found time to lobby for close friend Aljamain Sterling. The former bantamweight king (26-5, and now 3-1 up at featherweight) is chasing a title shot at 145 pounds and has eyed Jean Silva to sort out the next challenger. Sterling's most recent win was a unanimous decision over Youssef Zalal.

Dvalishvili's pitch is blunt: respect to Silva, but Sterling is the fight to make, and the winner should get a crack at the champion. UFC 333 is topped by featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski (28-4) defending against the undefeated Movsar Evloev, and Merab's message boils down to one line. You can't skip Aljo.