Dvalishvili Maintains He's Better Than Yan Despite Loss

Former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili insists he's the better fighter heading into his trilogy bout with Petr Yan at UFC 333 this Saturday in Abu Dhabi.

Dvalishvili lost the 135-pound title to Yan last December after a fourth successful defense attempt in 2025. The rematch ended in a one-sided unanimous decision for the Russian, reversing their first encounter in 2023 when Dvalishvili dominated. Now, after 10 months away from the cage, the Georgian says he's refreshed and ready to reclaim what he lost.

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Dvalishvili's Case For UFC 333 Victory

"I believe I'm much better than him and I have to prove it," Dvalishvili said in a prefight interview reported by Sherdog. "I've been working hard. I've been working smart and all I have to do is just show up and do my thing." The former champion also told media he feels healthy after a busy 2025 that saw him make four title defenses before dropping the belt.

Both previous meetings went the distance. Dvalishvili controlled the first fight in 2023 en route to winning the title, while Yan flipped the script in their rematch last year with a similarly dominant performance. The trilogy bout takes place Saturday at Etihad Arena.

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UFC 333 airs live on pay-per-view from Abu Dhabi, with the Yan-Dvalishvili main card expected to begin around 10 p.m. local time.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Merab Dvalishvili says he's 'much better' than Petr Yan despite loss