Merab Dvalishvili is expected to receive a UFC bantamweight championship challenge against Petr Yan next, according to Dvalishvili’s coach, John Wood. Speaking in an interview with Mike Owens, Wood said the UFC’s intention has been communicated to the team, while also stressing that plans in the sport can change before a fight is formally set. For Dvalishvili, the anticipated bout would be more than another title opportunity: it would be the deciding chapter of a rivalry currently level at one win apiece.
Wood’s position was clear but measured. He said Dvalishvili is set to fight for the title next unless something changes on Yan’s side, calling the matchup 99% likely based on what he has been told by the UFC and Dvalishvili’s manager. That distinction matters because the source does not provide a date or location, and neither has been finalized in the material. Still, Wood’s comments give the strongest available indication that Dvalishvili’s next assignment is intended to be a championship trilogy rather than a non-title bout. Yan enters the expected meeting as champion, while Dvalishvili would be attempting to reclaim the belt he held from September 2024 until UFC 323.
Dvalishvili and Yan split two five-round fights
The proposed third fight has a defined competitive backdrop. Dvalishvili and Yan first met in the UFC Fight Night 221 main event in March 2023. Dvalishvili won every round on all three scorecards, taking a 50-45 unanimous decision. His performance was built on activity and control: he out-landed Yan 147-75 in total strikes and completed 11 takedowns over five rounds. The result helped accelerate Dvalishvili’s route to a UFC title shot and gave him the early advantage in the series.
Their second meeting produced a different result and changed the stakes for a potential trilogy. Yan defeated Dvalishvili by unanimous decision in the UFC 323 main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on December 6, 2025, reclaiming the 135-pound title. Two judges scored the contest 49-46, while the third had it 48-47. The win ended Dvalishvili’s 14-fight winning streak and tied the head-to-head series at 1-1. It also halted Dvalishvili’s attempt to become the first UFC champion to make four successful title defenses in one calendar year. Before facing Yan, Dvalishvili had defended against Umar Nurmagomedov, Sean O’Malley and Cory Sandhagen during 2025.
Wood points to health and preparation
Wood did not offer excuses for Dvalishvili’s loss to Yan, but said the fighter went into the rematch below full health after what he described as a difficult camp and year. Wood believes a healthy Dvalishvili and a better camp can change the showing if the trilogy is finalized. He also credited Yan for having one of his best nights in their second fight. Wood said the team will review both previous meetings for adjustments, noting that a game plan can be disrupted once a fighter is hurt and has to respond on instinct. That review has clear value because the first two contests delivered sharply different outcomes across the same five-round format. Dvalishvili’s 2023 win supplies direct evidence of the approach that worked then, while the UFC 323 defeat provides the most recent evidence the team intends to study. Wood said he believes Dvalishvili will get the title back, but the source stops short of confirming the bout’s date or location.
- Dvalishvili won the first fight in March 2023 by 50-45 unanimous decision on all three scorecards.
- Yan won the December 2025 rematch by unanimous decision, with two 49-46 scorecards and one 48-47 scorecard.
| Fight | Confirmed result |
|---|---|
| UFC Fight Night 221, March 2023 | Dvalishvili defeated Yan by 50-45 unanimous decision; Dvalishvili recorded 147 total strikes to Yan’s 75 and 11 takedowns. |
| UFC 323, December 6, 2025 | Yan defeated Dvalishvili by unanimous decision, scored 49-46, 49-46 and 48-47, to reclaim the 135-pound title. |
Dvalishvili’s expected next fight carries a straightforward sporting purpose: a third meeting with Yan would settle a series split by two five-round decisions and put the UFC bantamweight championship on the line. Wood has described the matchup as all but certain, but the available information leaves the final scheduling details open. Until the UFC confirms those details, the central development is that Dvalishvili’s team expects his next appearance to be a title challenge against the man who ended his winning streak at UFC 323.
Sources: LowKick MMA
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