Merab Dvalishvili has stated his eagerness to face Petr Yan in a trilogy fight, even suggesting he could fight next week. However, he acknowledges that the UFC bantamweight champion is not yet ready to compete.
Following their rematch at UFC 323, where Yan successfully defended his title against Dvalishvili’s persistent pressure with a unanimous decision victory, the UFC initially promised “The Machine” an immediate rematch. The planned bout has since been postponed due to Petr Yan undergoing lower back surgery.
Speaking with MMA Fighting, Dvalishvili conveyed his uncertainty about the fight’s timing. “I don’t hear anything from him [Petr Yan],” he said. “He doesn’t want to fight yet. I don’t know what the situation is. We all see his interview, he was ready in June but they have already announced the July fight card. They’re going to announce the August fight card soon… They haven’t told me anything. All I know is I’m fighting Yan but I don’t know when. I don’t know the time. It looks like Petr is taking his time.”
Despite the unknown timeline, Dvalishvili remains committed to staying prepared. He emphasized his consistent training regimen, stating, “I’m training always. It doesn’t matter if I have a fight or not. I’m always training like I’m preparing for the fight. To be honest, I don’t know what’s different between having [training] camp or not having camp. I’m always ready. If they give me a fight next week, I am ready.”
Dvalishvili understands the dynamics of the sport, explaining, “Hey, this is the game we’re in. Sometimes you have to wait. When I was champion, I could push the UFC, I could tell [them] ‘hey, UFC keep me busy, I want to fight soon’ and the UFC kept me busy. Now I’m not a champion and I have to wait for my opponent. This is the game. This is the situation and I understand.”
He concluded by reiterating his patient stance: “I’m waiting for Petr Yan patiently. He’s taking his time and let’s see when the champion wants to come back and fight me.”
