Petr Yan Unimpressed by Bantamweights Ahead of Merab Dvalishvili Trilogy
UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan returns to face rival Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333 on Oct. 24. Speaking about the division during his layoff, Yan noted that nothing has impressed him and stated he hopes to finish their trilogy with a knockout.
· VILLAND PICK editorial
Petr Yan is set to return to the Octagon on Oct. 24 at UFC 333 to face rival Merab Dvalishvili in a trilogy bout. The fight will mark Yan's first appearance in 10 months, following surgery in January to repair a back injury sustained after he defeated Dvalishvili at UFC 323 to become a two-time bantamweight champion.
During Yan's absence, the bantamweight division saw several notable results, including Song Yadong's upset knockout victory over Umar Nurmagomedov, Mario Bautista surpassing Cory Sandhagen in the rankings, and Sean O'Malley holding onto his standing. However, speaking to MMA Fighting's José Youngs, Yan stated that the recent divisional activity has failed to capture his interest.
"To be honest, I've been watching the division and nothing really impresses me," Yan said through a translator, adding that the division consists of the "same kind of people swirling around" and that he is ready to face and defeat whoever the promotion puts in front of him next.
The history between Yan and Dvalishvili stands at one victory apiece. Dvalishvili handed Yan a decision defeat in March 2023, but Yan rebounded with three consecutive victories before reclaiming the title at UFC 323. With both previous meetings going to the judges' scorecards, Yan noted that he wants to prove his last win was not a fluke and hopes to secure a knockout finish this time around.
Sources
This article was written by VILLAND PICK based on the reports listed above. Original articles are not reproduced.