Merab Dvalishvili and Petr Yan meet again at UFC 333, with the bantamweight championship on the line. The rematch gives Dvalishvili an opportunity to reclaim the title after Yan defeated him by unanimous decision at UFC 323 in December 2025. That victory avenged Yan’s earlier loss to Dvalishvili in March 2023, leaving both fighters with a win over the other.
Merab Dvalishvili
Last 3 Bouts
Lose. Petr Yan — Unanimous decision
Win. Cory Sandhagen — Unanimous decision
Win. Sean O’Malley — Submission
Strengths
Wrestling: Creates repeated takedown opportunities.
Cardio: Maintains a relentless pace over five rounds.
Pressure: Forces opponents to work defensively throughout the fight.
Weaknesses
Striking defense: Forward pressure can leave openings for counters.
Takedown efficiency: Yan showed he can defend repeated attempts.
Predictability: Reliance on wrestling can make his approach easier to anticipate.
Keys to Victory
Vary his takedown entries and chain wrestling.
Pressure Yan against the cage and limit his striking space.
Maintain a high pace without becoming careless.
Mix punches with wrestling to keep Yan guessing.
Petr Yan
Last 3 Bouts
Win. Merab Dvalishvili — Unanimous decision
Win. Marcus McGhee — Unanimous decision
Win. Deiveson Figueiredo — Unanimous decision
Strengths
Boxing: Delivers accurate combinations and damaging counters.
Takedown defense: Successfully neutralized much of Dvalishvili’s wrestling in their last fight.
Composure: Makes effective adjustments during championship rounds.
Weaknesses
Slow starts: Can take time to establish his rhythm.
Wrestling pressure: Repeated takedown attempts can disrupt his offense.
Limited margin for error: Allowing Dvalishvili to control extended periods could cost him rounds.
Keys to Victory
Defend takedowns and avoid prolonged cage control.
Use combinations and counters to punish Dvalishvili’s entries.
Attack the body and legs to slow the challenger down.
Maintain consistent output across all five rounds.
Odds
Petr Yan -142
Merab Dvalishvili +120
