Yan vs Dvalishvili: The Rivalry, the Records and the Road to a Trilogy

Few rivalries at bantamweight carry the weight of Petr Yan vs Merab Dvalishvili: the reigning UFC champion against the former champion he beat for the belt, two completely different fighting identities, and a head-to-head series locked at 1-1 heading into their third meeting.

Merab Dvalishvili "The Machine" (21-5) built his name on volume and pressure. He is the UFC's all-time takedown leader — the first fighter ever to pass 100 career takedowns — and holds the record for the most takedown attempts in a single fight (49). Before losing his belt he stacked a 14-fight UFC win streak, won the bantamweight title in September 2024, defended it three times, and beat former champions José Aldo, Henry Cejudo and Sean O'Malley along the way.

Petr Yan "No Mercy" (20-5) is the counterpoint: a two-time champion and one of the most technical boxers in the division, landing 5.16 significant strikes per minute behind an 86% takedown defense. He won the vacant title in 2020 by stopping José Aldo, added an interim belt in 2021, and reclaimed the undisputed title at UFC 323 in December 2025 — the belt he carries into this trilogy as the reigning champion.

The two have already written a chapter each. Dvalishvili took the first fight in March 2023 by unanimous decision in a grappling clinic; Yan answered at UFC 323 (December 2025), winning a unanimous decision to take the title and end Dvalishvili's streak. Now the story reaches its decider in Abu Dhabi. See where the trilogy concludes: Tickets for UFC 333.