Merab Dvalishvili Vows Quick Return After Petr Yan Decision Loss

Merab Dvalishvili isn't dwelling on the loss. Days after dropping a decision to bantamweight champion Petr Yan, the #1-ranked contender broke his silence with a defiant message: he's healthy, motivated, and already thinking about his next walk to the Octagon. Now sitting at 21-6, Dvalishvili framed the setback as a speed bump rather than a reckoning.

The defeat snapped Dvalishvili's momentum at the exact moment the division's biggest prize was within reach. Yan, who improved to 21-5, kept his belt via the judges' scorecards and handed Merab just his sixth career loss. For a fighter whose grinding, high-volume style has carried him to the top of the rankings, losing on points stings in a particular way.

Gratitude First, Grievance Never

Rather than air frustration, Dvalishvili leaned into thank-yous. He credited his Las Vegas camp and training partners, his New York and Long Island crew — including Matt Serra and Ray Longo — and his longtime cornermen for pushing him to his limits. He also thanked the UFC for the opportunity and pointed to his family, friends and fans as the backbone of his career. It's the kind of corner-everyone-first statement that tells you plenty about how a fighter processes a setback.

The numbers explain why nobody's writing Merab off. His game has never been about the one-punch finish — just 3 KOs and 2 submissions across his 21 wins — and that's by design. Dvalishvili wears opponents down with relentless wrestling and cardio, a formula that built him into the clear #1 contender before this fight. A single decision loss doesn't erase that resume.

Yan, for his part, is the more finish-heavy fighter on paper, with 7 knockouts and a submission among his 21 victories. That stylistic contrast is a big part of why a rematch would sell. The champ answered the question once; Merab will want the chance to rewrite the result.

For now, Dvalishvili is sticking to his mantra. He signed off by insisting the machine never breaks and promised he'll be back in the cage soon. At #1 in the division, he won't have to wait long for a meaningful matchup — and if the UFC fancies a sequel, the champion is right there.