Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili will conclude their trilogy in the UFC 333 co-main event.
After splitting results over their first two meetings, the rubber match between reigning bantamweight champion Yan (20-5 MMA, 12-4 UFC) and former titleholder Dvalishvili (21-2 MMA, 14-3 UFC) is official for the Oct. 24 fight card at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi (Paramount+).
The bout was announced during Saturday's UFC 330 broadcast.
Yan, No. 1 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie bantamweight rankings, reunited with the belt in December when he outworked Dvalishvili to a unanimous decision at UFC 323. It was a redemptive performance from the Russian, who suffered a lopsided loss on the scorecards in the first matchup in March 2023.
The 32-year-old first
became champion in July 2020, but lost it in his first defense when he landed an illegal knee on Aljamain Sterling that led to him being disqualified. Yan's subsequent years included a three-fight losing skid, but he's rebounded with four in a row to become a two-time champ.
No. 2-ranked Dvalishvili will attempt to prevent Yan from getting a title defense in this reign and show that he was not his best self at UFC 323. Prior to the rematch defeat, the 35-year-old has won 14 consecutive bout, including three title defenses in 2025.
There were questions about whether Dvalishvili's attempt at record-setting championship activity played a role in his loss to Yan in the rematch, and now he gets a chance to come out ahead in the rivalry.
The latest UFC 333 lineup includes:
- Alexander Volkanovski vs. Movsar Evloev – for featherweight title
- Petr Yan vs. Merab Dvalishvili – for bantamweight title
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Petr Yan vs. Merab Dvalishvili title trilogy fight co-headlines UFC 333
