Looking to make history at UFC 323, Merab Dvalishvili took on Petr Yan for the second time in the 2025 bantamweight champion’s fourth title defense.
No UFC champion had ever defended their title four times in one year. But Dvalishvili, with a fourteen-fight win streak, more than lived up to his nickname ‘The Machine’.
Former champion Yan, meanwhile, wanted to take revenge for an earlier loss to Georgian Dvalishvili.
One title had already changed hands that evening, albeit due to injury. Maybe there will be a second one?
Petr Yan wanted to push early and back the champion against the fence. However, Dvalishvili pushed back and released his hands. A right hand threatened, and a left followed and connected, even though there wasn’t much going on. Yan was able to cover up and roll several of Dvalishvili’s attacks, finding success with his jab. A very even fight for the first two and a half minutes; Yan seemed to rock Merab just past the halfway point. That led to Merab going after a takedown, and although a trip didn’t land, Merab stayed on it.
Yan showed solid takedown defense and eventually escaped from a body lock. However, after an exchange of punches, Dvalisvili took the fight back to the fence, forcing Yan to defend again.
Dvalishvili landed a right hand to start round two and then punched his way into a takedown attempt. Yan again showed amazing takedown defense, at one point showing his balance and standing tall on one leg. Meanwhile, Yan made contact with his jab. Then Yan flipped the script, changed the levels and landed his own takedown. Ultimately not a good idea, because Merab scrambled and turned back. Yan tried to do the same and went back to the fence. Merab would spend time in a body lock, but was once again unable to take Yan down; the Russian turned away instead. They would battle it out at the end of the round, exchanging blows.
Yan opened round three with a low kick, keeping the champion guessing. Dvalishvili, meanwhile, had suffered significant damage to his nose in the earlier rounds and was bloodied. Merab landed a right, but Yan went for a takedown and ended up slamming Dvalishvili! Merab survived, got up, lifted Yan and tried to slam him, but more threw him on his side. Yan immediately got back up; Dvalishvili dragged the challenger down again. This time, as Yan fended off a takedown, Dvalishvili delivered a knee to the body. Another shot followed.
Another shot from the champion saw Yan sprawled. However, he seemed to have slowed down a step. Dvalishvili not so much. They traded knees in the clinch. A body kick at the end of the round landed with a bang and set Merab back. Yan went in for a takedown but couldn’t land it.
During the championship rounds, Dvalishvili looked the fresher fighter despite the damage to his face and the nasty body kick at the end of round three. Merab went for yet another takedown, but Yan turned around. Dvalishvili defended a takedown with a guillotine, and after a struggle, Yan was able to break free. However, Merab got back up and landed a punch in the clinch while absorbing a knee. Petr Yan’s takedown defense continued to be the story in round four. Despite Dvalishvili stringing together takedown attempt after takedown attempt, Yan rarely went down and refused to stay down. With two minutes left on the clock, Yan Merab seemed to be in pain again and dug the body. He would aim for it again with a kick. A left to the body staggered Dvalishvili, but he then charged forward.
Yan felt himself and broke a spinning fist in the last minute. He almost certainly went into round five at the top of the scorecards.
Petr Yan fired a pair of side kicks to the leg to start the final frame. Yan would also target the body again, this time with a hook. His hands hadn’t failed him, and neither had his takedown defense. The champion was bloodied and three minutes away from losing his title. With two minutes to go it was Yan who scored a takedown, which was eventually fought. Dvalishvili then considered a guillotine, didn’t have it and was taken down, although he was immediately back on his feet. Another body kick followed for Yan, noticeably hurting Dvalishvili.
There was no Hail Mary for Merab Dvalishvili; instead, Petr Yan landed one last takedown of his own. Arguably the best anyone had put up against Merab in years, and enough to win back the UFC bantamweight title.
Official result: Petr Yan defeats. Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)
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