UFC bantamweight Petr Yan is calling for the wrong rematch.
Petr Yan wants a rematch with Merab Dvalishvili
Yan had a tough couple of years. After losing his bantamweight championship to Aljamain Sterling via disqualification in March of 2021, he became unrecognizable from his past self. Where he once dominated anyone standing across from him, the Russian mustered just one victory from 2021-2023 and ended last year on a three-fight losing streak.
The 31-year-old entered the new year with a clean slate and rebounded in March with a decision victory over Song Yadong at UFC 299. Carrying the momentum into this weekend, Yan put himself right back in the title picture with a masterclass performance against former flyweight champion, Deiveson Figueiredo.
Yan showed out for the crowd in Macau, China, resembling his vintage self for all five rounds. He more than doubled his opponent’s significant strikes (121-53) while successfully navigating a fourth-round scare to secure an emphatic 50-45 victory on all three scorecards.
In his octagon interview, the now No. 3 ranked bantamweight called out a familiar foe – the newly crowned division champion, Merab Dvalishvili.
“I want to do the rematch with Merab. Let’s get it.”
Despite the statement victory, it’s still unlikely that Yan (18-5) will be the first to challenge for Dvalishvili’s belt. In the meantime, he should push for another, more exciting rematch against fan-favorite Sean O’Malley.
Dvalishvili overpowered Yan in their first UFC fight
Yan first encountered Dvalishvili in the main event of a UFC Fight Night in March of last year. From the opening bell, the former champion was suffocated by the Georgian’s unrelenting ground game, with “The Machine” attempting a UFC record 49 takedowns.
The fight was never truly competitive, with the Russian getting outstruck and outclassed in virtually every aspect of the fight. Unlike some of Yan’s previous fights, it came as no surprise when all three of the judges’ scorecards favored his opponent (50-45, 50-45, 50-45).
Dana White says Umar Nurmagomedov will get the next title shot
Dvalishvili quickly accepted Yan’s challenge in an Instagram post, where he suggested the pair meet at UFC 313 on March 8. Unfortunately for both fighters, though, the boss gets the final say.
Following UFC 308 at the end of October, UFC president Dana White spoke with the media in his post-fight press conference. When asked about the future of the bantamweight division, White confirmed that “Umar Nurmagomedov is next” to challenge Dvalishvili for his 135 lb. strap.
Nurmagomedov, the 28-year-old cousin of former lightweight champion Khabib, boasts an undefeated record of 18-0 (6-0 in UFC) with seven submissions and five first-round finishes. The No. 2 ranked bantamweight is coming off the heels of a dominant decision win over Cory Sandhagen, a victory that cemented his spot in the next bantamweight title fight.
Yan should rematch O’Malley in a No. 1 contender fight
While Yan got crushed in his first meeting with Dvalishvili, he arguably won his initial matchup with O’Malley. The pair first met at UFC 280 in October of 2022, where the pink-haired striker secured a controversial split-decision victory.
The fight was a highly competitive back-and-forth with an especially promising performance from the up-and-coming O’Malley. However, many members of the fight community took to social media after the fight, all echoing the same sentiment that Yan won the first two rounds.
Some fighters claimed that O’Malley had “UFC privilege,” with former double-champ Henry Cejudo calling the fight the “worst robbery in UFC history.”
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Using his victory as a stepping stone, O’Malley skyrocketed to the forefront of the division and claimed the bantamweight title in his next fight against Sterling. He defended the belt once more against Marlon Vera before he too was chased down by Dvalishvili in the Las Vegas Sphere at UFC 306.
Both fighters are eager for their “get-back” against the current champ, but while Dvalishvili has his hands full with Nurmagomedov, Yan and O’Malley should seek closure against each other. A rematch between the former champions for the No. 1 contender’s spot is both the most sensible and exciting fight for the bantamweight division.
