WASHINGTON – Merab Dvalishvili doesn’t think the loss of his bantamweight title six months ago was the result of any one thing.
Instead, it sounds like he subscribes to more of a “death of a thousand cuts” theory.
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When Dvalishvili (21-5 MMA, 14-3 UFC) lost the bantamweigh title to Petr Yan (20-5 MMA, 12-4 UFC) in their UFC 323 rematch this past December, it was his fourth title defense of the year and fifth title fight in just 15 months. But it wasn’t just that workload that worked against him, he surmises.
“I think a little bit, yes, because it was only two months between the fights when I fought Cory Sandhagen (and then lost to Yan),” Dvalishvili told MMA Junkie on Friday in Washington ahead of UFC Freedom 250. “It was small little reasons, like these reasons (over here) and other reasons (there) – I think everything playex out a little bit (each against me).
“But I don’t make excuses. He beat me, so now it’s going to be interesting with a trilogy. Now we’re going to see the real winner.”
Because Dvalishvili had run roughshod enough at bantamweight before his loss to Yan, it’s presumed he’ll get a crack at the belt again once Yan is ready to return from his current post-title layoff and surgery.
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Dvalishvili lost his first two UFC fights, then ran through the division, including wins over ex-featherweight champ Jose Aldo, Yan and former two-division titleholder Henry Cejudo. Then he took the belt from Sean O’Malley, defended it against Umar Nurmagomedov, submitted O’Malley in a rematch and dominated Sandhagen.
The wear-and-tear may have played into the loss to Yan, and he won’t completely discount the idea that they first fought in the Meta APEX in a small cage in 2023, then fought in a 30-foot arena-sized cage in their title fight, as one of those aforementioned thousand cuts.
The 35-year-old Dvalishvili moonlighted in the RAF for a check a few weeks back against Frankie Edgar. But more than anything, the ex-champ is hoping he can get Yan booked again, likely for the fall.
Hopefully soon,” Dvalishvili said. “He’s on vacation now fixing his teeth and fixing something else. I think soon we will hear some news when he will come back.
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“… I don’t think it will be matter about the cage, but I will make some changes, of course, and then you guys will see the results.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Ex-champ Merab Dvalishvili itching for Petr Yan return for UFC trilogy
