Merab Dvalishvili built his name as one of the UFC’s most active champions, but now the former bantamweight king finds himself doing something he rarely enjoys, waiting.
After dropping a decision to Petr Yan last December in his failed bid to defend his title for a fourth time in a single calendar year, Merab Dvalishvili stepped away briefly to recover. Now fully ready to return, he says he is still waiting for clarity on when the trilogy bout with Yan will finally happen.
Speaking ahead of his wrestling debut at RAF 9, Merab Dvalishvili admitted he has heard little about the timeline for his title shot.
“I don’t hear anything from him,” Dvalishvili said.“He doesn’t want to fight yet. I don’t know what the situation is. We all saw his interview where he said he was ready in June for the White House, but they’ve already announced the July fight card, and they’re about to announce August too.”
“They haven’t told me anything. All I know is I’m fighting Yan, but I don’t know when. I don’t know the time. It looks like Petr is taking his time.”
The delay comes after Yan underwent back surgery following his win over Merab Dvalishvili, a result that evened their rivalry at one fight apiece. Dvalishvili dominated their first meeting in 2023, while Yan responded with a strong performance in the rematch to reclaim bantamweight gold.
Even with the uncertainty, Merab Dvalishvili understands the reality of his current position.
“Hey, this is the game we’re in,” Dvalishvili said. “Sometimes you have to wait. When I was champion, I could push the UFC. I could tell them, ‘Keep me busy, I want to fight soon,’ and they kept me active.”
“Now I’m not the champion, and I have to wait for my opponent. That’s the situation, and I understand it. That’s why I always rushed to stay active when I had the chance. Unfortunately, now I have to wait for him.”
Rather than staying idle, Merab Dvalishvili has found another way to compete. He is set to make his RAF debut against UFC Hall of Famer Frankie Edgar after an earlier planned matchup with Henry Cejudo fell through.
“I was disappointed when my wrestling match against Henry got canceled, but they offered me Frankie Edgar for May 30 and I’m excited,” Dvalishvili said.
“At the same time, I have so much respect for Frankie Edgar. Wrestling is just something I’m doing for fun while staying sharp. I’m still fully focused on MMA.”
He also made it clear that a future showdown with Cejudo remains on the table.
“Hopefully he comes back soon,” Dvalishvili said. “RAF wants to go to Georgia, and hopefully we can wrestle there. Me and Henry Cejudo would be a great match.”
For now, Merab Dvalishvili remains patient, even if patience has never been his strongest trait.
“I want to stay busy. That’s why I’m doing RAF,” he said. “I like competition. I like challenging myself and giving people something entertaining.”
“I’m always training. It doesn’t matter if I have a fight booked or not. I’m always preparing like I’m in camp. If they give me a fight next week, I’m ready.”
While the wait for the Petr Yan trilogy continues, one thing remains clear: Merab Dvalishvili is staying prepared for the moment the UFC finally makes the call.
