Merab Dvalishvili Says Petr Yan Must Knock Him Out Cold Ahead of UFC 333 Trilogy
Merab Dvalishvili says that Petr Yan will have to do more than hurt him to win their trilogy fight
Looking back at the brutal liver shots Dvalishvili absorbed in their UFC 323 rematch, the former UFC bantamweight champion said he never considered quitting and will keep fighting unless Yan knocks him out cold.
"The Machine" will get a chance to reclaim the title when he meets Yan for the third time in the co-main event of UFC 333 on Saturday in Abu Dhabi.
Merab Dvalishvili Recalls the Liver Shots That Hurt Him Against Petr Yan
In an interview with UFC on Paramount+, Dvalishvili explained how Yan’s repeated attacks on his body and liver became increasingly difficult to withstand during their December 2025 fight.
“He didn't just kick me once. I think he punched me a second time, then kicked me again. Once you get hit in the liver, the second shot hurts even more, and the third one is even worse,” Dvalishvili said.
The Georgian believes that many fighters would struggle to continue after facing that kind of punishment. However, for him quitting was never an option.
“Maybe you can handle the first liver shot, but the second and third are almost impossible to take. But thank God, I stayed in there. I never even considered quitting. I wasn't going to quit until I died. And it's going to be the same thing this time. He has to knock me out cold; otherwise, I'm going to keep fighting.”
Petr Yan repeatedly landed kicks to Dvalishvili's body while using his jab and combinations to keep Dvalishvili from building the relentless wrestling pressure that had carried him through their first fight.
Petr Yan’s Takedown Defence Changed Their UFC 323 Rematch
The body attacks were only part of the problem for Dvalishvili. Yan also neutralised most of his wrestling, stopping 27 of 29 takedown attempts before winning by unanimous decision with scores of 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47.
Dvalishvili began questioning his chances in the second round after another takedown attempt failed. In another interview with Paramount+, he explained that he had returned to the round intending to wrestle, but Yan defended again and drained his energy.
“I realised in the second fight that I was not going to win the fight and I was just going to enjoy the fight,” Dvalishvili said.
"The Machine" won his first fight against "No Mercy" by unanimous decision. However, Yan reversed the result in the rematch, reclaiming the bantamweight title and levelling their rivalry. Their third fight at UFC 333 will decide who takes the lead in the series.
