Petr Yan Explains Flop Performance Against Merab Dvalishvili: "I Fighting With One Hand"
Petr Yan has revealed the reason for his lacklustre performance against Merab Dvalishvili in their first fight, and how he bounced back after that.
When Merab Dvalishvili put on an unrelenting pacing display against Petr Yan back in March 2023 at UFC Fight Night 221, fans were stunned by how one-sided the five-round main event turned out to be. "The Machine" landed a record-setting 49 takedown attempts and continuously pressured the former bantamweight champion across 25 minutes.
However, Yan recently cleared the air regarding that flat performance, revealing that he fought through a severe injury that completely stripped him of his offensive firepower.
In a candid statement, the Russian standout admitted he was basically competing with one functioning hand.
"In the first fight, I landed 4 punches with my right hand," Yan explained. "I couldn't push him back, control him, and wrestle him."
Reclaiming The Bantamweight Throne
The impact of that compromised right hand became crystal clear when the two bantamweight titans crossed paths once again in their rematch at UFC 323. A fully healthy Yan stepped into the Octagon and flipped the script entirely, out-striking and out-grappling Dvalishvili to reclaim the bantamweight championship via unanimous decision.
Fellow bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov chimed in on the rivalry, agreeing that Yanâs health was the true deciding factor in how their first fight unfolded. Nurmagomedov pointed out that without the right hand available to keep Dvalishvili honest, Yan was simply unable to stop the endless chain-wrestling coming his way. Once Yan was healthy enough to throw heavy leather with both hands, Dvalishvili could no longer dictate the pace or control the center of the cage.
Even Dvalishvili owned up to the difference in their second encounter, admitting after losing his belt at UFC 323 that Yan simply had his way with him in the rematch. With the head-to-head series currently tied at one win apiece, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is setting up a massive trilogy fight between the two at UFC 333.
Now holding a 20-5 professional record, Yan is determined to prove that his UFC 323 win wasn't a fluke. If he can step into the Octagon at full strength once more, the champion remains confident he has Dvalishviliâs number for good.
