UFC 323: Merab Dvalishvili vs Petr Yan Preview & Prediction
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The bantamweight title is up for grabs in the main event of UFC 323, with Merab Dvalishvili poised to make history should he triumph in a rematch against the ever-dangerous Petr Yan.
Merab Dvalishvili vs Petr Yan facts
What time are Merab Dvalishvili and Petr Yan expected to walk out?
Where is UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs Yan 2? T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs Yan 2? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs Yan 2
What TV channel is UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs Yan 2 on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN+
Where can I stream UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs Yan 2? UK – TNT Sports subscribers can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs Yan 2 main card
Merab Dvalishvili vs Petr Yan (Bantamweight)
Alexandre Pantoja vs Joshua Van (Flyweight)
Brandon Moreno vs Tatsuro Taira (Flyweight)
Henry Cejudo vs Payton Talbott (Bantamweight)
Jan Błachowicz vs Bogdan Guskov (Light Heavyweight)
UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs Yan 2 prelims
Grant Dawson vs Manuel Torres (Lightweight)
Terrance McKinney vs Chris Duncan (Lightweight)
Maycee Barber vs Karine Silva (Women’s Flyweight)
Nazim Sadykhov vs Fares Ziam (Lightweight)
Marvin Vettori vs Brunno Ferreira (Middleweight)
Edson Barboza vs Jalin Turner (Lightweight)
Iwo Baraniewski vs Ibo Aslan (Light Heavyweight)
Mansur Abdul-Malik vs Antonio Trocoli (Middleweight)
Muhammad Naimov vs Mairon Santos (Featherweight)
Merab Dvalishvili: The bantamweight GOAT looks to make history once again by defending his title for the fourth time in the space of a year
Widely regarded as the greatest 135 pound fighter in MMA history, Merab Dvalishvili (21-4) looks nothing short of unstoppable based on his recent run of form. Undefeated since 2018, the 34 year old Georgian wrestle-boxer's ridiculous cardio and endless output has seen a who's-who of top contenders wilt under his pressure for the better part of the last decade. With victories over Sean O'Malley, Umar Nurmagomedov, and Cory Sandhagen to name but a few of the fighters on his resume, Merab's reign of terror has seen him essentially clean out his division, to the point that he's engaging with in a rematch with a fighter that he already owns a dominant 50-45 decision victory over.
Petr Yan: Can "No Mercy" cash in as an enormous underdog and earn revenge against a fighter with a win over him?
Beloved amongst MMA fandom for his technical proficiency and striking acumen within the cage, few fighters embody their nickname quite as well as former champion Petr Yan (19-5). A striking virtuoso with superb scrambling ability and wicked trips, "No Mercy" looked set to reign over the division with a fist of iron, only to cough up his title in farcical fashion to Aljamain Sterling following a DQ loss resulting from an illegal knee. However, despite the rough 1-3 stretch that followed his title loss, Yan has rebounded with a three fight win streak to earn his second shot at Merab since being humiliated first time around. Despite entering their initial encounter as the favorite, Yan was dominated from pillar to post for a 50-45 decision back in 2023.
Merab Dvalishvili vs Petr Yan prediction
Yan is one of the most technical strikers the 135 pound division has ever seen, but it's hard to pick against the champ at this point in proceedings.
Notwithstanding his superhuman cardio and iron chin, "The Machine" seemingly gets better with every fight. He's more efficient with his takedown timing these days without sacrificing any of his pressure and his striking has improved to the point that that he's even able to hurt the likes of Cory Sandhagen on the feet. While he's often decried for his decision heavy style, Merab's recent submission victory over Sean O'Malley could bode ill for a fellow striker like Yan here, particularly considering that the Russian doesn't possess "Sugar's" one-shot KO power deterrent.
Much has been made of the hand injury that allegedly prevent Yan from operating at full capacity in the pair's first fight. However, considering that Merab landed 11 out of 49 takedowns and more than doubled up on Yan's significant strike output last time out, there's a strong argument to be made that he could have beaten "No Mercy" half as badly as he did in their initial encounter and still would have walked away with a decisive decision victory.
Merab continues to build on his resume as the greatest bantamweight of all time, outworking Yan in every department across the course of five rounds. The Russian's deep tool bag and icy composure means that he will have his moments, but it won't be enough to prevent him from eventually succumbing to "The Machine's" relentless pressure.
Merab coasts to a clear cut decision, potentially even snatching up an opportunistic submission from the front headlock position in a scramble.
Prediction: Merab Dvalishvili to win
