Merab Dvalishvili Explains Calmer Demeanor Ahead of Petr Yan Trilogy

Merab Dvalishvili is set to challenge bantamweight champion Petr Yan in the co-main event of Saturday's UFC 333 card on Oct. 24. The highly anticipated bout marks the trilogy meeting between the rivals. Dvalishvili dominated their first clash at UFC Las Vegas in March 2023, while Yan evened the score this past December at UFC 323 to become a two-time champion.

Ahead of UFC 331 in September, both fighters took the stage for a pre-event press conference alongside headliners Alexander Volkanovski and Movsar Evloev. Throughout the media event, Yan relentlessly talked trash and repeatedly interrupted Dvalishvili. In contrast to past instances where he had been known to lose his temper over disrespectful opponents, Dvalishvili remained entirely calm and respectful, surprising observers.

Speaking to MMA Fighting, Dvalishvili explained that he simply refuses to play into Yan's mind games this time around. He noted that he has grown both as a person and a fighter, learning from past discretions that life is too short to be angry.

"Right now, I know Petr Yan very well," Dvalishvili told MMA Fighting. "He’s a good fighter, but he’s just who he is. He talks shit, and this doesn’t bother me anymore." Dvalishvili added that his primary focus is making weight and performing on fight night, confident that securing a victory inside the cage will settle the score once and for all.