LAS VEGAS – Petr Yan has no interest in helping build Merab Dvalishvili’s name before they ultimately share the octagon on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 221.
If Dvalishvili (15-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC) wants to help build his standing in the sport, Yan (16-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) claims he will have to do it on his own, be it through promotion or his actual performance inside the octagon.
The pair of bantamweight contenders are scheduled to meet in a key headlining bout at The Theater at Virgin Hotels, which streams on ESPN+. Russia’s Yan and Georgia’s Dvalishvili have exchanged some words over social media since the fight was announced, and a video surfaced on Tuesday of them crossing paths in the host hotel – though it largely stay professional.
Yan said Dvalishvili is just trying to use his name for clout because he can’t do it on his own, but he refuses to bite.
“I think he doesn’t have any other way to bring attention to himself,” Yan told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 221 media day. “He cannot do it with his fights. In his fights, all he does is, like a dog, take the leg and push his opponents up to the cage. So he’s just trying to get a little attention or something. No one is interested in him.
“… I was leaving the hotel to training at the PI, and he came up to me and he was asking for a cross interview with ‘The Schmo’ to promote the fight, but like I mentioned, no one is interested in Merab. And I’m not interested in promoting him either. He tries to push himself too hard. He tries to force himself on being a fan favorite, but it never works out that way. The way he acts off-camera is different. The way he acts on-camera is a different way. When there’s no camera he’s not saying much.”
Although Yan isn’t particularly fond of his opponent’s pre-fight conduct, he admits Dvalishvili is a “good name to beat” right now because of his eight-fight UFC unbeaten streak, which includes a recent victory over UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo.
It’s an important moment for Yan, who after putting together a significant winning streak to start his UFC career that included capturing the 135-pound title, has now lost three of his past four fights.
There’s arguably controversy around all of those losses, though. Yan lost his title by disqualification to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259 in March 2021, suffered a debatable split decision defeat in the rematch with Sterling at UFC 273 in April 2022, then, in his most recent bout dropped another split decision to Sean O’Malley at UFC 280 in October.
Yan was initially outraged by his situation in the aftermath of a heavily-debated defeat to O’Malley, but he has now turned the page and said he’s changed his mindset.
“No doubt it was good experience,” Yan said. “Big fights, but I made a decision if I need to move forward, I need to forget about the past. So I’m just thinking about the future. … You always want to finish the fight earlier, you don’t want to leave it in the hands of the judges. So, my goal is to finish it.”
Given his current predicament, Yan said looking past Dvalishvili at all would be foolish. He knows the significance of this fight to his career.
“I think I need to win the fight first and then we’ll see what’s next,” Yan said. I think I already beat O’Malley. If I have to do it again I will do it more convincingly.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 221.
