LAS VEGAS – Simply put, Merab Dvalishivili is not a fan of Petr Yan.
Dvalishvili (15-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC) pulled no punches on the microphone at a UFC Fight Night 221 pre-fight news conference Wednesday when he called Yan (16-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) a litany of insults and expletives ahead of their main event bout Saturday. The rivalry is rooted in multiple origins, according to Dvalishvili.
“I have many reasons,” Dvalishvili told MMA Junkie and other reporters. “First, this fight is not only a fight. It’s personal to me. He’s from Russia, I’m from Georgia. We all know Russia what they’re doing to Ukraine now, what they did to Georgia. Russia is not a (politically) democratic country. I know I want to win for my people. I have so much support from my country and so much support from Ukraine, too.
