Merab Dvalishvili looks to make history in trilogy bout with Petr Yan at UFC 333: 'Age is just a number' — SkimNews
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- Merab Dvalishvili will face Petr Yan in a trilogy bout at UFC 333, seeking to regain the bantamweight title he lost via unanimous decision in December 2023.
- Dvalishvili admitted he was mentally unprepared for their rematch, acknowledging his team underestimated Yan’s skill and that he failed to adjust his strategy accordingly.
- Petr Yan won the rematch by neutralizing Dvalishvili’s wrestling and cardio, landing significant strikes and recording five takedowns—the most any opponent has achieved against Dvalishvili.
- Dvalishvili claims he has corrected his training and mindset ahead of UFC 333, vowing to present a smarter, more effective version of himself against Yan.
- Dvalishvili stated he felt the rematch was lost by Round 2 due to Yan’s takedown defense, and though hurt by body kicks, refused to quit despite visible pain.
- Dvalishvili aims to become the oldest bantamweight champion in UFC history if he wins, citing Alexander Volkanovski, Glover Teixeira, and Randy Couture as proof that age doesn’t define performance.
Why it matters: Dvalishvili’s shot to reclaim the title hinges on overcoming a fighter who exposed his tactical flaws in their last bout; a win would not only reshape the bantamweight division’s hierarchy but validate his claim that sustained elite performance is possible into the late 30s, defying typical athletic decline patterns.
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