Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili meet in UFC 333 bantamweight trilogy

UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan will face former titleholder Merab Dvalishvili in a trilogy bout at UFC 333 on Saturday. Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting, and MMA Junkie reported that the fight serves as the co-main event of the card. [1][7][8]

According to CBS Sports, Dvalishvili is attempting to reclaim the title at age 35, which would make him the oldest champion in the history of the bantamweight division. Dvalishvili commented on his age ahead of the bout, stating that age is just a number. Yahoo Sports and Sportskeeda noted that Yan has predicted Dvalishvili will adjust his strategy for their third meeting, while commentator Laura Sanko stated that Dvalishvili can reclaim the belt if he makes a key adjustment. [1][2][3]

Yan is a two-time UFC bantamweight champion, while Dvalishvili is a former champion in the same division. Former two-time UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw stated that both fighters possess a mutual path to victory in the matchup. Former middleweight champion Michael Bisping also provided his analysis ahead of the fight. [1][8][9][10][11]

Looking beyond Saturday, Sportskeeda and MMA Fighting both reported that Yan raised the possibility of a rematch with Sean O'Malley for a future title defense in 2027. Yan previously lost a split decision to O'Malley in 2022, and both outlets reported Yan's comment that the two fighters have history. [6][7]