​After four title fights within a single calendar year, Merab Dvalishvili has been patiently awaiting word on his rematch with Petr Yan to determine their trilogy sometime in 2026. Yet, the UFC has offered no updates on when Dvalishvili might get the chance to face Yan again, and with the schedule already full through August, the former champ admits he’s growing a bit anxious. The delay in booking the trilogy began with Yan’s injury, which threatened to push back his return to action. In hopes of nudging things along, Dvalishvili sent a direct message to the reigning UFC bantamweight champion, seeking any information about a potential third fight—ideally as soon as possible.
“I guess I’m not fighting in August and I haven’t heard anything from Petr Yan,” Dvalishvili told MMA Fighting. “I’m just waiting for him and I’m praying he’s coming back soon. I don’t know. Petr, come back soon, bro. Let’s fight. I want to fight. Let’s go.”
If there is any silver lining to the layoff, it’s that Dvalishvili has had a chance to heal some nagging injuries. He recently added a new setback, though, after breaking his nose in training and then again during a recent wrestling match. He downplayed the severity of the two nose injuries, suggesting he expects they could recur, but doesn’t view them as a barrier to a quick return to competition.
“My nose is good now,” Dvalishvili said. “It’s healed up. But if it happens, I don’t care anymore. I’ll be fine.”
With the Yan trilogy temporarily on hold, Dvalishvili has kept himself busy by crossing over to freestyle wrestling, competing in matches organized by RAF. After defeating UFC Hall of Famer Frankie Edgar in his RAF debut, Dvalishvili earned the opportunity to compete back home as the promotion heads to Georgia for an international event. The former bantamweight champ takes on Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo in the main event. The bout had been scheduled for a previous RAF card, but Cejudo withdrew for undisclosed reasons, leaving Dvalishvili to face him in his native country, which significantly raises the personal stakes.
“This is pressure for sure,” Dvalishvili stated. “I haven’t competed in my country since 2010. It’s going to be exciting but maybe a little stressful, too, because I can’t lose in front of my people. It’s going to be hard. Who knows?”
When they met in the UFC, Dvalishvili managed to take Cejudo down and win a unanimous decision before eventually capturing the title at 135 pounds. But this time, in the world of MMA’s cross-border showcase, Dvalishvili is cast as the underdog against Cejudo, who earned Olympic gold in freestyle wrestling in 2008. Regardless of the outcome, Dvalishvili insists the focus remains sharp on improvements and on doing whatever it takes to rise in the rankings and rekindle his path toward reclaiming a title shot.
In the meantime, he’s aiming to keep his name relevant and maintain momentum by staying active across formats, while he waits for Yan’s return and reassurance that the trilogy will indeed move forward in 2026. The ultimate prize remains clear: another shot at the UFC bantamweight crown, and a chance to settle the score with Yan once and for all.