UFC Champ Merab Dvalishvili Calls For Rematch With Former Foe: 'Let's Go Again'

UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA) is already looking ahead to his first title defense.

Former bantamweight champion Petr Yan extended his winning streak to two with a unanimous decision win in the headliner at UFC Macau Saturday against Deiveson Figueiredo. In September, Dvalishvili, who took the title from then-champion Sean O'Malley at Noche UFC 2 (aka UFC 306), watched Yan's performance and highly praised the 31-year-old.

Merab Dvalishvili continues to call out Petr Yan:

“Great fight Petr. I like your callout, and I like your respect. Let’s go again, after 2 years. March 8th, T Mobile. Let’s f***ing go.”

🎥 @MerabDvalishvil #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/pKx2kxwAYC
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 23, 2024

“Great fight Petr. I like your callout, and I like your respect," Dvalishvili said. "Let’s go again, after 2 years. March 8th, T Mobile. Let’s f***ing go.”

The pair met last year. Dvalishvili won unanimously during a UFC Fight Night event in Las Vegas at The Theater at Virgin Hotels. The fight was part of Dvalishvili's 11-fight winning streak, as he dominated nearly every aspect of the fight.

Yan lost amid a three-fight losing skid that dated to April 2022. Yan became the champion four years ago with a TKO win against Jose Aldo on Fight Island but never successfully defended the belt.

Yan has been fighting under the UFC banner since 2018. He has won 10 of his 14 fights, 40 percent of which have been by KO/TKO. The other six, meanwhile, have been by decision.

The fight would draw fresh eyes to a division that has remained relatively stagnant. Fellow contender Umar Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA) mocked Dvalishvili with his own take on the situation. Nurmagomedov is currently ranked No. 2 in the UFC's bantamweight rankings and defeated Cory Sandhagen in August by decision.

The man you fear,
At the mere mention of his name,
Your body trembles,
And your heart beats faster. https://t.co/QaYa2DuIqM
— Umar Nurmagomedov (@UNmgdv) November 24, 2024

"The man you fear,
At the mere mention of his name,
Your body trembles,
And your heart beats faster," Nurmagomedov tweeted."

For now, only time will tell with what happens to the division next

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