Petr Yan Vows to Dismantle Merab Dvalishvili in UFC 333 Trilogy

Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili are set to settle their rivalry this Saturday in the co-main event of UFC 333 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The 135-pound matchup marks the third meeting between the two fighters, with Yan looking to defend his bantamweight title.

The series is currently tied at one win apiece. In their first encounter in 2023, Dvalishvili dominated Yan over five rounds behind 11 takedowns. Yan answered in their December rematch, beating Dvalishvili to claim the bantamweight championship while limiting his opponent to just two successful takedowns.

Despite his recent success, Yan made it clear at the UFC 333 press conference that he is treating Saturday as an entirely new challenge. "For me, it’s new fight," Yan said. "I don’t want to think about my last fight.

I want to defend my title. ... We are surgical; we take everything apart.

This machine is going to be taken apart, one detail at a time. But, trust me, I will come here, and I will break his nose one more time!"

Yan also voiced total confidence in dealing with Dvalishvili's offensive approach, pointing back to their second fight. Yan stated that Dvalishvili tried dozens of takedowns without success and criticized his striking ability, declaring that whatever Dvalishvili attempts inside the Octagon this weekend will not work.