Merab Dvalishvili is the newest unstoppable force in the UFC.
Dvalishvili put on an absolute clinic against Petr Yan during the main event of Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night, breaking the body and spirit of a former bantamweight champion.
“This fight with Petr, it was personal,” says Dvalishvili. “He kept talking like he’d never lost a fight and that he was still the champion. Petr Yan is a great fighter, but hopefully Petr becomes more humble.”
Dvalishvili (16–4) refused to allow Yan to develop a rhythm. His unrelenting pace led to all kinds of pressure, maintaining a forward attack that never ceased in any of the five rounds. That led to a victory by unanimous decision, elevating Dvalishvili to the top of the bantamweight contenders. Yan (16–5) looked completely overwhelmed, a rare sight in the cage. Every punch came with a level change, and Dvalishvili’s takedown attempts were remarkable. He shot a remarkable 49 times, landing 11 takedowns, and even hurt Yan with outside leg kicks in this star-making moment.
“Petr needs to give people respect,” says Dvalishvili. “He called me a zero. That is not right. Petr is one of the greats, but I am happy to beat him.”
The win, which is Dvalishvili’s ninth straight, puts him in a unique predicament. He should be next in line for the title, but Dvalishvili has stated that he does not want to fight Aljamain Sterling, the reigning champion, who is his teammate and best friend. But if Sterling moves to featherweight, that would cause an opening in the bantamweight title picture.
“I’m just happy to fight,” says Dvalishvili. “Vera, O’Malley, I will fight whoever they give me.”
Yan is on the opposite end of the spectrum. He has lost three in a row and four of his last five, and this defeat removes him altogether from the title picture. It also gives Dvalishvili a massive win for his home country of Georgia.
“I am so proud to represent my country in the UFC,” says Dvalishvili. “I was able to win against a great fighter. I made the people in my country so proud. I am blessed to be able to do this, and I want kids to see this example to train hard and chase their dreams.
“Hard work pays off. I come from nothing, but I changed my life. I hope others can, too.”
Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com . Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
