Dvalishvili Has Prepared for Yan Rematch
Merab Dvalishvili faces Petr Yan at UFC 333 following a unanimous decision loss in their prior meeting.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Mixed Martial Arts
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Merab Dvalishvili enters his UFC 333 bout against Petr Yan in Abu Dhabi seeking to avenge a unanimous decision loss from December 2025. Dvalishvili, who holds a professional record of 21-5, completed a full training camp for this rematch.
Why it matters
Dvalishvili accepted their previous matchup in Las Vegas with only two months of recovery time, whereas this second encounter follows a more deliberate training schedule. The fighter has stated his primary motivation is to reclaim his championship belt.
Merab Dvalishvili holds a professional fight record of 21-5 and set the UFC history record with 119 total takedowns. The 35-year-old fighter also maintains a significant social media presence with nearly 3 million Instagram followers.
The players
Merab Dvalishvili
He is a professional mixed martial artist who holds the UFC record for most career takedowns.
Petr Yan
He is a professional mixed martial artist and former opponent of Merab Dvalishvili.
The details
Dvalishvili defended his bantamweight title four times throughout 2025 before limiting his competition schedule to just one fight in 2026. He aims to shift his trajectory by fighting at least three times in 2027.
Timeline
Dvalishvili defended his bantamweight title four times during 2025.
Petr Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili in Las Vegas in December 2025.
Dvalishvili faces Yan at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi in October 2026.
Dvalishvili plans to fight at least three times in 2027.
Season Trajectory
This rematch directly follows the December 2025 Dvalishvili-Yan fight and serves to clarify the hierarchy within the bantamweight division. A victory would put Dvalishvili back on the path to reclaiming his championship belt after a year of limited competition.
Dvalishvili enters this bout with a full training camp, a significant change from the two-month recovery window he had for their previous meeting. His stated plan to fight three times in 2027 suggests he will be a frequent fixture on future UFC cards.
The takeaway
Dvalishvili is prioritizing a full training camp and a higher frequency of competition to regain his standing. This shift from his 2026 schedule indicates a long-term plan to secure his legacy in the bantamweight division.
Further reading
For more analysis on upcoming bouts, visit the Mixed Martial Arts section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The National.
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