Focused on Winning, Not Just a Finish
Merab Dvalishvili is preparing to defend his UFC bantamweight title against Petr Yan at UFC 323 on December 6 in Las Vegas. While he acknowledged that a finish would be ideal, the champion emphasized that securing the win remains his top priority. “A finish would be good,” Dvalishvili said, “but we all know nobody was able to finish Petr Yan… I’m just focusing on this fight: get healthy, and win this fight. That’s all I want.”
The Challenge of Stopping Petr Yan
Yan has never been stopped in his professional MMA career, making the prospect of a finish a significant challenge. All of Yan’s previous losses have come via decision, highlighting the difficulty Dvalishvili faces if he hopes to end the fight early. Despite this, the Georgian champion remains motivated by the prospect of achieving a rare feat by finishing a fighter of Yan’s caliber.
Chasing History Beyond the Octagon
In addition to the title defense, Dvalishvili has the chance to become the first UFC fighter to defend a championship four times in a single calendar year. While a finish would be an impressive milestone, Dvalishvili’s main goal is to secure the victory and remain healthy, ensuring his place in UFC history.
