Petr Yan Slams Merab Dvalishvili’s "Weird" In-Cage Antics Before UFC 333
Petr Yan is fully prepared to face Merab Dvalishvili's in-cage tactics, which he uses to try to throw off his opponents during the fight. The pair are set to face each other at UFC 333.
Petr Yan is preparing for a wild night when he steps back into the Octagon against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333. With their bantamweight rivalry sitting deadlocked at 1-1, the champion knows he has to prepare for more than just non-stop wrestling and relentless pressure. He is also bracing for the Georgian’s signature brand of "weird" in-cage showmanship.
Speaking ahead of their upcoming co-main event clash in Abu Dhabi, the Russian standout did not hold back when calling out Dvalishvili’s unusual mid-fight habits.
"You know all we can expect is all of his antics, grabbing the shorts, or kissing his opponents on the back like he kissed Sean O'Malley, and all of this weird stuff," Yan said.
Settling the Rubber Match
The unorthodox behavior is certainly nothing new for combat sports fans. Dvalishvili famously planted a few cheeky kisses on O'Malley’s back while holding him against the fence at UFC 306, and he routinely chats with commentary teams or plays to the audience while grappling. But Yan insists he will not let the mind games throw him off when they face off on Oct. 24 at the Etihad Arena.
Their rivalry has already produced two grueling five-round battles with massive statistical storylines. Dvalishvili dominated their initial meeting in March 2023, setting a staggering UFC record with 49 takedown attempts en route to a unanimous decision win. However, Yan flipped the script in their December 2025 rematch at UFC 323, outclassing "The Machine" over 25 minutes to reclaim the 135-pound title and snap his rival's 14-fight winning streak.
While Dvalishvili claims fatigue cost him in the second fight and vows to bring a fresh pace this time, Yan has advised him to focus on self-preservation rather than stunts, even telling him to secure solid medical insurance for his nose before fight night.
Flamboyant tactics or not, both fighters know there will be nowhere to hide when the Octagon door closes to settle their trilogy once and for all.
