Dvalishvili blanks Yan on scorecards in UFC Las Vegas main event
The UFC bantamweight division better watch out, because "The Machine" is coming.
Merab Dvalishvili put on a performance of a lifetime against former champion Petr Yan as the underdog Saturday night, defeating him via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) in the UFC Las Vegas main event at The Theater at Virgin Hotels.
It was an all-time display of cardiovascular endurance, pressure, and pace, and Dvalishvili lived up to his nickname more than he ever had before. He used a combination of striking and takedowns to overwhelm Yan from start to finish and gave him no room to breathe.
Dvalishvili is now in a unique situation. He'd usually be in prime position for a title shot after dominating the No. 2-ranked bantamweight. But his training partner and close friend Aljamain Sterling is the current champion - and they've said they'll never fight each other.
However, Sterling, who's scheduled to defend his belt next against Henry Cejudo at UFC 288 in May, has said he plans to move up to the featherweight division in the foreseeable future. That could open the door for Dvalishvili.
"He's my brother, and he's the real champion," Dvalishvili said of Sterling in his postfight interview. "When he decides to go up in a weight class and is the next challenger there, I will fight for the title. Of course I want to be the champion. I am hungry."
Dvalishvili shattered the record for takedown attempts in a UFC fight with 49, and he converted 11 of them. The previous record was held by Cain Velasquez, who attempted 33 takedowns in his 2012 win over Junior dos Santos. Yan landed one takedown in five attempts. Dvalishvili racked up nearly seven minutes of control time.
In the stand-up department, he topped Yan 147-75 in significant strikes landed. He threw 401 strikes to Yan's 155.
Yan had some success with leg kicks and body shots early in the fight, but Dvalishvili's suffocating, relentless attack made it nearly impossible for the ex-champ to rack up his own offense. Throughout the fight, Dvalishvili backed Yan up with punches and then either pushed him to the fence or scored a takedown.
His attack wasn't always damaging, but it was effective. By the fifth round, it was essentially rinse and repeat. Despite the incredible output, Dvalishvili still looked fresh and was bouncing on his feet in the final seconds.
"It works (against) everybody," Dvalishvili said of his grueling style.
With the victory, Dvalishvili, who was ranked No. 3 in the bantamweight division going into his first UFC main event, further cements his status as one of the top fighters in the division. He's riding a nine-fight winning streak and is tied with Sterling for the longest active winning streak in the UFC bantamweight division (eight). The Georgia native hasn't lost since April 2018.
Yan has now dropped three in a row, though his previous losses - to Sterling and No. 1-ranked contender Sean O'Malley - were very competitive and ended in split decisions. This was the first time he was completely blown out in a fight. He's just 1-4 since capturing the vacant 135-pound belt by finishing Jose Aldo in July 2020.