"I wasn't going to win" - Merab Dvalishvili Makes Honest Confession Ahead of UFC 333 Trilogy

Merab Dvalishvili says that at UFC 323, during the Petr Yan rematch, he figured out early that he wasn't going to get his hand raised.

"The Machine," during a recent sit-down with Din Thomas, talked about his UFC 323 rematch with Yan. The Georgian admitted that in the second frame of the title bout, he felt he had run out of gas and lacked the energy to continue shooting for takedowns. Meanwhile, Yan had figured out how to solve the Dvalishvili puzzle early by countering Dvalishvili's relentless pressure, stuffing takedowns, scoring his own, and controlling the pace for the majority of the minutes. 

Once Dvalishvili realized he could no longer secure takedowns consistently, he decided to enjoy the fight, do what he wanted, and live in the moment, as he says he already knew he was going to lose. He said:

"In the second round, I shot for it and really tried to get my takedowns going again. But within 10 seconds, all my energy was gone, and I was like, “What now?” I didn't think I could take him down anymore. The plan was to do whatever I wanted. I said I could try to strike with him, and if I wanted to, I could take him down. I was striking with him, and he got me. Then, in the second round, I tried to take him down, and I was like, “What should I do now?” So I was just having fun. I said, “Okay, I'm going to have fun and enjoy the fight.” In the second round, I realized I wasn't going to win this fight, so I decided to just enjoy it."

Pain Takes Toll on Merab Dvalishvili

Although Dvalishvili did not really gas out for 25 minutes, he absorbed significant damage. His nose was shattered, his face was bloodied, and he was visibly in pain every time Yan landed a kick to his liver.

Petr Yan Warned Merab Dvalishvili Before UFC 333 Trilogy Bout

Petr Yan is going to run it back with Merab Dvalishvili later this month in the co-main event of UFC 333. During the presser, the current and two-time bantamweight titleholder has already warned "The Machine." Yan quipped:

"Make sure you get insurance, medical insurance for your nose. Don't be blaming Dana White if something goes wrong."

Check out Petr Yan's comments below:

Dvalishvili already had a busted-up nose, which got worse when it was shattered during training earlier this year. However, he chose not to undergo surgery because it would keep him out of competition for a year. The 35-year-old said he will only go under the knife after retiring.

Dvalishvili's damaged nose could be a concern heading into UFC 333, with some fans suggesting it could affect his cardio. However, "The Machine" remains confident that he can dethrone Yan, reclaim the bantamweight title, and become an active champion once again.