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Yan survives 58 takedown attempts to win the trilogy against Dvalishvili

After losing two rounds, the bantamweight champion turned the third fight around on the feet. All three judges scored it 48-47 – Dvalishvili was gracious in defeat.

TWN newsroom1 min read
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Petr Yan made the first successful defence of his bantamweight title at UFC 333. Merab Dvalishvili dominated the first two rounds with his wrestling and, according to CBS Sports, attempted 58 takedowns – even more than the 49 in their first fight. From round three Yan took over with his defence and his striking, including, according to The National, a kick to the liver. All three judges had him ahead 48-47; Yan is now 21-5, Dvalishvili 21-6.

"I knew that he was going to pressure forward; I knew that he was going to throw a million takedowns at me," Yan said, according to Sherdog. "I realized that the second I was going to be able to defend those, he was going to break." His coach told him before the last round that it was two rounds apiece and the fifth would decide it.

Dvalishvili, who won their first meeting in 2023 and lost the title to Yan in December 2025, took the defeat graciously: "He beat me today, he's the better man." Both earned $100,000 for Fight of the Night. According to SB Nation, Song Yadong or Sean O'Malley could be next.

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