Merab Dvalishvili Explains Why He Will Arrive Last Moment in Abu Dhabi for UFC 333

Merab Dvalishvili lost his title to "No Mercy" in a rematch last year at UFC 323, while he was attempting to become the first champ in the promotion to record four successful title defenses in a year. However, after being dethroned, the UFC brass promised Dvalishvili an immediate title rematch whenever he recovers and is ready.

In 2026, the Georgian Phenom was game to fight Yan in the second or third quarter. But the Russian fighter had lower back surgery and took time to return to training. But now, the bout is scheduled. Yan vs. Dvalishvili 3 will serve as the co-main event of UFC 333 on Oct. 24.

Merab Dvalishivili on Changing Training Camps Ahead of UFC 333

During a recent sit-down with Vato Gvinjilia, Merab Dvalishvili said he would prefer to train at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas and travel to Abu Dhabi just six days before UFC 333 for his media obligations, weight cut, and other duties. The 35-year-old added that he is not bothered by the challenge of acclimatizing. Here's what he said:

"As for going to Abu Dhabi, I’ll arrive six days before the fight, so I’ll already be there on Sunday. I’m not arriving that early for acclimatization because it doesn’t really affect me that much. Especially during fight week, I don’t sleep well anyway because of the weight cut, hunger, and dieting, so I don’t really need to arrive any earlier. I’d rather stay here, train here, and then travel closer to the fight to get everything done, including the interviews, the weight cut, and everything else that comes with fight week."

Check out Merab Dvalishvili's comments below:

What Does Merab Dvalishvili Plan To do Differently This Time?

Merab Dvalishvili already has the blueprint to beat Petr Yan. However, at UFC 323, Dvalishvili and his camp have previously claimed that he did not specifically train Yan. While playing the role of an active champion in 2025, "The Machine" stayed ready for each and every opponent, and it eventually backfired.

In the rematch, Yan proved to be the better man in every department. He turned Dvalishvili's face into a horror movie, hurt him with body shots, stopped the takedowns, and scored his own, en route to a unanimous decision win to reclaim the strap.

However, this time, Dvalishvili's coach John Wood has said that "Merab just needs to be Merab" to dethrone Yan. Wood, in an interview with Home of Fight, confessed that last time, they were busy chasing finishes and knockouts. However, that approach was wrong, which they plan to change going forward. He said:

"Merab is the type of guy where, if you tell him to do something, he’ll do it. I think we focused a little too much on chasing finishes, breaking guys, and looking for knockouts. When really, Merab just needs to go be Merab. That’s on me to make sure he sticks to what he does best."

Check out John Wood's comments below: