Merab Dvalishvili is eager to face current two-time UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan, even as early as next week. However, he acknowledges that Yan is not yet prepared for their next encounter.
Following their rematch at UFC 323, where Yan successfully defended his title and dethroned Dvalishvili with a unanimous decision, “The Machine” was promised an immediate rematch by the UFC. This trilogy bout has been postponed due to Yan undergoing lower back surgery. Currently, Dvalishvili remains uncertain about the timeline for their next fight.
In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Dvalishvili stated, “I haven’t heard anything from him [Petr Yan]. He doesn’t want to fight yet. I don’t know the situation. We’ve all seen his interviews; he was ready in June, but they’ve already announced the July fight card and will soon announce the August one. They haven’t told me anything. All I know is I’m fighting Yan, but I don’t know when. It seems Petr is taking his time.”
Despite the uncertainty, Dvalishvili affirmed his commitment to staying in peak condition. He added, “This is the sport we’re in. Sometimes you have to wait. When I was champion, I could push the UFC and ask them to keep me busy. Now that I’m not the champion, I have to wait for my opponent. This is the game, and I understand the situation. That’s why I was always eager to fight frequently, and I will continue to do so when the opportunity arises. Unfortunately, for now, I have to wait for him.”
“I am patiently waiting for Petr Yan. He is taking his time, and we will see when the champion wants to return and fight me. I train constantly, regardless of whether I have a fight scheduled or not. I am always training as if preparing for a bout. To be honest, I don’t feel much difference between having a training camp or not; I’m always ready. If they offered me a fight next week, I would be ready.”
