Merab Dvalishvili Targets Yan Rematch Reset

Merab Dvalishvili has offered a direct explanation for what he believes went wrong in his rematch with Petr Yan. Looking back on the UFC 323 defeat that ended his bantamweight title reign, Dvalishvili said he allowed the contest to take the shape Yan wanted rather than fighting with his own approach. The assessment arrives before Dvalishvili and Yan meet for a third time in the UFC 333 co-main event, scheduled for Oct. 24 in Abu Dhabi.

For Dvalishvili, the issue was not presented as a mystery or a broad complaint about the result. He pointed specifically to spending time in front of Yan and exchanging boxing. That is why his comments place the coming trilogy bout in a clear context: Dvalishvili is not simply revisiting a loss, but identifying the approach he intends to avoid when the rivals share the cage again. He said he plans to get back to basics and be himself in the next fight.

Merab Dvalishvili identifies the turning point

Dvalishvili said he was “fighting his fight” during the rematch. In his description, he stood in front of Yan and exchanged in boxing instead of applying the style he believes is best suited to him. He did not dismiss Yan’s ability while explaining the mistake. Dvalishvili said Yan hits hard and is good, while also saying he knows he can beat him. The comments combine respect for Yan’s performance with a defined point of self-criticism from Dvalishvili.

That distinction is important to the story of their third meeting. Dvalishvili is not claiming the previous result did not count, nor is he offering an outside explanation for it. His focus is on his own choices during the fight. He said this time he will be himself, expects to be sharper and is excited for the matchup. The stated reset is therefore about execution: avoiding the exchanges he felt served Yan and returning to the fundamentals Dvalishvili says he needs to use.

Merab Dvalishvili and Yan reach a trilogy

The rivalry already contains sharply different results. In their first encounter in 2023, Dvalishvili won a decision after taking Yan down repeatedly. Their rematch at UFC 323 went the other way, as Yan delivered the performance that ended Dvalishvili’s bantamweight title reign and made Yan a two-time champion. Dvalishvili had entered that fight on three straight successful title defenses. Yan’s victory also prevented Dvalishvili from setting a UFC record with four successful defenses in a calendar year. The UFC 333 bout gives Dvalishvili an immediate opportunity to apply the lesson he says he drew from the rematch. Both fighters had sought a trilogy contest before it was officially announced, although Yan’s return was delayed by back surgery. The scheduled five-round meeting is the next confirmed chapter for Dvalishvili, and his public focus remains on Yan despite his interest in the movement elsewhere in the division. Dvalishvili noted that the division keeps moving and mentioned the presence of young, tough fighters. He also named Song Yadong as a new contender he finds exciting, citing Song’s punching power. But Dvalishvili’s immediate message was narrower than future matchmaking. Before any later possibilities can matter, he wants to correct the specific tactical error he says shaped the second Yan fight.

• Dvalishvili’s stated rematch mistake: he said he stood in front of Yan and exchanged boxing, which he described as fighting Yan’s fight.
• Dvalishvili’s stated plan for UFC 333: get back to basics, be himself and aim to be sharper against Yan.

Merab Dvalishvili has put his diagnosis of the UFC 323 loss in straightforward terms: he believes he followed Petr Yan’s preferred fight rather than his own. The UFC 333 trilogy bout will test whether that recognition translates into the sharper, back-to-basics performance Dvalishvili says he intends to bring. His first win and his rematch loss give the contest established history, while his own tactical explanation gives the next meeting its central question.