Petr Yan ready for anything in Merab Dvalishvili trilogy
The bantamweight champion is prepared for Dvalishvili's wrestling and believes he can finish the fight before the final bell.
Petr Yan is confident that he has what it takes to defeat Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333 on Saturday. The Russian will face the Georgian for the third time, and he expects his opponent to rely on his wrestling and relentless pressure. However, Yan says he is prepared for whatever Dvalishvili brings and can envision himself finishing the fight.
Petr Yan Expects Merab Dvalishvili to Rely on Wrestling
Dvalishvili is known for his relentless pace and wrestling-heavy approach, which have made him one of the most difficult opponents to deal with in the bantamweight division. Yan expects the Georgian to look for takedowns and try to impose his pressure once again, but he is confident in his ability to deal with that challenge.
"I'm sure he's gonna try and go for a double leg or go for a takedown and try and put his pressure on me or whatever, but we're ready for everything," Yan told MMA Fighting. "We're ready for whatever he's gonna bring. We're ready to wrestle if we need to wrestle, and we're ready for the tempo. We'll get into the cage on Saturday and then we'll see what happens. 100 percent he's gonna come to wrestle this time around and we'll just see what happens in the fight."
Petr Yan Envisions Finishing Merab Dvalishvili
Although Yan is prepared for a demanding fight against Dvalishvili, the champion does not intend to rely solely on surviving his opponent's pressure. He believes he can find a way to finish the fight before the final bell and is determined to make that happen.
"I see it and I can envision it," Yan said. "And I'm gonna do whatever I can to finish the fight earlier this time around. I will put all of my effort into making sure that that happens."
Yan and Dvalishvili have split their previous two encounters, with the Georgian winning their first meeting before the Russian claimed victory in their rematch. With the bantamweight title on the line at UFC 333, Yan now has the opportunity to settle their rivalry and demonstrate that he can overcome Dvalishvili once again.
