Coach John Wood has discussed a major reason that could have affected Merab Dvalishvili’s performance at UFC 323.
Last year, after successfully defending his bantamweight championship three times, ‘The Machine’ looked to etch his name in the history books by becoming the first UFC champion to record four successful title defenses in one calendar year.
However, at UFC 323, for the fourth defense, he met Petr Yan in a rematch and lost by unanimous decision. Although Dvalishvili fought in his usual style, Yan was simply the better man on fight night. ‘No Mercy’ hit the better shots, had great takedown defense, scored his own takedowns and didn’t surrender to Dvalishvili’s relentless pressure and elite cardio.
It is also possible that four weight cuts in one year and a busy fighting schedule affected the Georgian’s performance, which is why he lost.
Merab Dvalishvili’s coach, John Wood, reveals what went wrong at UFC 323
In a recent interview with Home of Fight, coach John Wood revealed that as part of the devised game plan, Merab Dvalishvili tried too hard to secure finishes in his title defense, and that is what they will solve in the third fight with Yan. He said:
“Merab is the type of guy where if you tell him to do something, he’ll do it. I think we’ve focused a little too much on chasing finishes, breaking guys and looking for knockouts. In reality, Merab just has to be Merab. It’s up to me to make sure he keeps doing what he does best.”
Watch coach John Wood’s comments on Merab Dvalishvili below:
Yan vs. Dvalishvili 3 is expected to take place after July 2026, like the Russian fighter has undergone back surgery and is currently recovering.
‘The Machine’, on the other hand, is ready to enter the octagon and regain his lost glory and is open to fighting even at the Meta Apex. In a recent video he said:
“UFC is telling me this. I’m next for the title. They’ve seen my hard work. I beat Petr in 2023. He beat me in 2025. But they told me this. I’ll fight, it won’t be the White House. But listen, guys, I don’t care. White House, Black House, Yellow House, UFC Apex or my backyard. This is our fight.”
Check out Merab Dvalishvili’s comments below:
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