Petr Yan targets the supposed chink in Merab Dvalishvili's armor before their trilogy at UFC 333

Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili have shared the Octagon twice thus far in their bitter rivalry.

Yan, ahead of their highly anticipated third encounter, has now taken a shot at what many believe is a chink in Dvalishvili's armor. 

Petr Yan takes aim at the purported chink in the formidable Merab Dvalishvili's armor ahead of their trilogy fight at UFC 333

Russia's Petr Yan happens to hold the honor of being a two-time UFC bantamweight champion, in addition to being considered one of the most well-rounded fighters in the sport of MMA. "No Mercy" is the reigning UFC bantamweight kingpin and is en route to defending his throne against a familiar foe in Merab Dvalishvili. 

The Georgian-American Dvalishvili is a former UFC bantamweight champion. He's a combatant often hailed as an extraordinary grappler whose striking has evolved in leaps and bounds over the years, turning him into a well-rounded mixed martial artist. 

Yan, on his part, reportedly underwent back surgery and rehabilitation a few months ago and has been out of action since his rematch against Dvalishvili late last year. Meanwhile, the latter, too, hasn't competed in an MMA matchup since their rematch. 

A number of fans and experts have time and again suggested that finding a weakness in either of the two fierce fighters' arsenals would be quite the tall task. Nevertheless, Dvalishvili's nose injury issues -- said to have resulted from years of repeated damage to it and his having broken it multiple times -- have been cited as something that could be a chink in his armor. 

Per UFC Eurasia, Yan has now taken a jibe at Dvalishvili's apparent issues with his nose. 

🚨Petr Yan sends a warning to Merab Dvalishvili ahead of their trilogy at UFC 333: “You better get good insurance before the fight because I’m going to break your nose.” https://t.co/TVrpg9AMQB

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) September 11, 2026

Sending a warning to "The Machine," the UFC bantamweight titlist stated: 

"Merab, you better get good insurance before the fight because I'm going to break your nose." (*Russian-to-English translation courtesy: @RedCorner_MMA on X) 

Check out the Instagram post by UFC Eurasia regarding Petr Yan's jab at Merab Dvalishvili below: 

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A post shared by UFC Eurasia (@ufceurasia)

Petr Yan's long-awaited return and Merab Dvalishvili's nose injury trouble pique fan interest before UFC 333

Petr Yan received considerable criticism from certain sections of the MMA community during his hiatus, with Merab Dvalishvili questioning why his rival, who he felt had already recovered from his back injury, wasn't returning to compete. 

Regardless, Dvalishvili chose to keep himself busy with freestyle wrestling competition, making his debut in the Real American Freestyle (RAF) wrestling organization earlier this year. He's 2-1 in the RAF thus far -- beating Frankie Edgar by tech fall in May, outpointing Henry Cejudo in July, and then losing to Cejudo by way of pinfall last month. 

Dvalishvili notably sustained a broken nose against Edgar, a constant concern for the grappling savant. Many critics feel Dvalishvili's damaged nose would affect his excellent cardio and impede his wrestling and MMA performances. 

Presently, Yan is booked to defend his UFC bantamweight belt in a trilogy clash against Dvalishvili, which will co-headline UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on October 24.

Dvalishvili previously bested the Russian via unanimous decision in a non-title matchup back in 2023. Furthermore, their rematch ended with Yan levelling the score with a unanimous decision win, which came in a title fight wherein he dethroned "The Machine" to capture the bantamweight belt.