Merab Dvalishvili remains eager to face Petr Yan in a trilogy match, stating he is prepared to fight as early as next week. However, he indicates that Yan is not yet ready for such a bout.
The pair previously met at UFC 323, where Yan successfully defended his bantamweight title against Dvalishvili’s persistent pressure. Yan managed to counter Dvalishvili’s takedown attempts, landed superior strikes, and ultimately secured a unanimous decision victory, reclaiming the championship belt.
Following his loss, Dvalishvili was reportedly promised an immediate rematch by UFC management. However, the trilogy bout has been postponed due to Petr Yan’s recovery from lower back surgery. Even now, Dvalishvili is uncertain about when the fight will take place. In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, he commented:
“I haven’t heard anything from him [Petr Yan]. He doesn’t seem to want to fight yet. I’m unsure of the situation. We’ve all seen his interviews where he mentioned being ready in June, but fight cards for July have already been announced, and August cards will likely follow soon. They haven’t given me any definitive information. All I know is that I’m scheduled to fight Yan, but the timing is unknown. It appears Petr is taking his time.”
Despite the uncertainty regarding his next fight, Dvalishvili emphasized his commitment to staying in top condition. He expressed his intention to remain an active champion, similar to his previous reign, once he reclaims the title. The 35-year-old fighter added:
“This is the nature of the sport. Sometimes, you must wait. When I was the champion, I could influence the UFC to keep me busy with frequent fights, and they obliged. Now, as I’m not the champion, I have to wait for my opponent. This is the reality of the situation, and I understand it. That’s why I was pushing for fights, and when the opportunity arises to fight more often, I will continue to do so. Unfortunately, at this moment, I have to wait for him.”
“I am patiently waiting for Petr Yan. He is taking his time, and we’ll see when the champion decides to make his comeback and face me. I’m always training. It doesn’t matter if I have a fight scheduled or not; I train as if I’m preparing for one. Honestly, I don’t see a significant difference between being in a formal training camp or not. I’m always ready. If they offered me a fight next week, I would be prepared.”