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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – OCTOBER 30: Petr Yan of Russia celebrates after his victory over Cory Sandhagen in the UFC interim bantamweight championship fight during the UFC 267 event at Etihad Arena on October 30, 2021 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
via Imago
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – OCTOBER 30: Petr Yan of Russia celebrates after his victory over Cory Sandhagen in the UFC interim bantamweight championship fight during the UFC 267 event at Etihad Arena on October 30, 2021 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
After a disappointing outing at UFC 280, former bantamweight champion Petr Yan is back. According to the latest reports, Yan will take on surging bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili at UFC Vegas 71 on March 11. The rumored bout will be for five rounds and will be the main event of the night. Considering that the bout is between the #2 and #3 ranked fighters in the division, it could also have title fight implications. The UFC is yet to finalize and bantamweight title fight despite all the buzz surrounding it. Currently, the title picture involves the trio of champion Aljamain Sterling, former champion Henry Cejudo and #1 ranked Sean O’Malley. As fans wait for more clarity on the title picture, the fight between Yan and Dvalishvili could definitely be a step in the right direction.
A closer look at Petr Yan vs. Meran Dvalishvili
Petr Yan had an impressive outing, as always, at UFC 280. His three-round slugfest with Sean O’Malley was an absolute thriller that divided the fans. Although O’Malley got the judge’s nod for a split decision victory, many believe that Yan won the fight.
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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JULY 12: Petr Yan of Russia celebrates after his TKO victory over Jose Aldo in their UFC bantamweight championship fight during the UFC 251 event at Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on July 12, 2020 on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)|GettyImagesS
While the win propelled O’Malley all the way up to Yan’s previous #1 ranked spot, the Russian found himself in a tough spot. However, the upcoming Dvalishvili fight could serve his interest.
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While the champion, the returning former champion, and the #1 ranked contender try to figure out the title fight conundrum, Yan can solidify himself as another player in the picture with a win. A fight between the #2 and ## ranked contender could very well be a title eliminator, and Yan could start making a case for a title shot with a win.
Petr Yan has come up short by razor-thin margins in his last few fights. Not many athletes have bested ‘No Mercy’ in the cage.
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Do you think this fight will help him get back to title contention? Let us know in the comments below.
