Merab Dvalishvili makes bold call out to Petr Yan, Umar Nurmagomedov chimes in

The UFC bantamweight division has been shaken up after reigning champion Merab Dvalishvili called out former titleholder Petr Yan for a potential rematch.

Yan, ranked No.3 in the bantamweight division, secured his second consecutive unanimous decision win on Saturday, over Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Macau. With two solid wins under his belt, Yan aims to reclaim the gold, emphasizing his readiness for another showdown with Dvalishvili:

"Merab, let's do it again, I'm ready to talk about a rematch, and I believe it's going to be a very exciting fight."[H/t: Yahoo Sports]

Dvalishvili responded boldly on X, posting a video with his belt and setting a potential date:

"LFG @PetrYanUFC - March 8th #UFC313 T Mobile , Las Vegas -🦾⚔️"

However, the back-and-forth didn’t sit well with undefeated contender Umar Nurmagomedov, who’s been vying for a title shot after his win over Cory Sandhagen.

Nurmagomedov, frustrated with Dvalishvili’s dismissals, posted multiple responses on X, claiming the Georgian is avoiding him due to his fear of a loss:

"No one is surprised."

In another post, Nurmagomedov wrote:

"Someone, please tell him. That it looks terrible."

When did Petr Yan fight Merab Dvalishvili?

Merab Dvalishvili faced former UFC Bantamweight champion Petr Yan on March 11, 2023, headlining UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Dvalishvili. Dvalishvili dominated the fight with relentless pressure, attempting a UFC-record 49 takedowns, earning a unanimous decision victory.

Continuing his streak, Dvalishvili fought Henry Cejudo at UFC 298 on Feb. 17. He secured another unanimous decision win in a strategic bout involving five successful takedowns.

On Sept. 14 Dvalishvili challenged Sean O'Malley for the UFC bantamweight championship at UFC 306. In a high-paced contest, Dvalishvili emerged victorious, claiming the title by unanimous decision.