Merab Dvalishvili issues statement following his unanimous decision loss to Petr Yan at UFC 333, making it clear that he has no plans to slow down despite suffering his second consecutive defeat to the reigning bantamweight champion.
Dvalishvili faced Yan in the main event of UFC 333 on Saturday, with the trilogy fight deciding who would leave with the bantamweight title. After five competitive rounds, Yan secured the unanimous decision victory, winning the final three rounds on the judges’ scorecards to retain his championship.
The result was another setback for Dvalishvili, who previously lost his title to Yan at UFC 323. The Georgian fighter had built an impressive run during his championship reign, defeating Cory Sandhagen, Sean O’Malley twice and Umar Nurmagomedov before his back-to-back losses to Yan.
Despite the disappointment, Dvalishvili remains motivated to return to the Octagon. In his first statement after UFC 333, the former champion thanked God, his coaches, training partners, family and fans for their continued support.
“Good day, everyone! First and foremost, I want to thank God, for he has truly blessed me and I am grateful! Next, I want to thank my cornermen @funkmasterMMA, @DaveyGrantMMA, @zviadlazishvili and @bigwoodmma for their help and dedication. I am grateful for my Vegas teammates and training partners who always showed up and pushed me to great limits. Also, big thanks to my New York team @MattSerraUFC and @TrainingDaywRay and all my New York/Long Island boys,” he wrote on X.
Dvalishvili also thanked the UFC for giving him opportunities to compete at the highest level before assuring fans that he would return soon.
“Thank you to the @ufc for always giving me these opportunities! Last but certainly not least, my family, friends and fans, your support and love means the world to me! I cannot wait to be back in that cage doing what I love to do! I am healthy and motivated and will be back soon! This Machine never breaks! See you all soon.”
Dvalishvili now faces questions about his next move in the bantamweight division after losing twice to Yan. Although another title shot may not come immediately, the former champion remains one of the division’s most accomplished fighters.
A return against another top contender could help him rebuild his momentum and work his way back into title contention. Dvalishvili has also previously considered moving down to flyweight, although he has not confirmed whether he will pursue that option.
For now, the Georgian fighter appears focused on returning to competition rather than dwelling on the loss. His latest statement suggests he believes he still has plenty left to give inside the Octagon.
Yan may have won their latest encounter, but Dvalishvili has made one thing clear: he is not ready to walk away from the sport.
