Less than 10 days before defending his title at UFC 322, UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili already has his next fight. Dvalishvili (21-4) will seek to defend his title for the fourth time this year in the main event of UFC 323, facing Petr Yan (19-5). The fight will take place on December 6 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, according to UFC CEO Dana White. If Dvalishvili achieves victory, he will become the first champion in UFC history to defend a championship four times in a single year.
In addition to the main event, the flyweight champion, Alexandre Pantoja (30-5), will defend his title against the promising Joshua Van (15-2). Henry Cejudo (16-5), a former two-division champion, will also participate on the card, facing Payton Talbott (10-1). The main fight will be a rematch of their March 2023 encounter, where Dvalishvili dominated Yan. On that occasion, Dvalishvili outstruck Yan in total strikes, with a difference of 147-75, winning every round on the judges’ scorecards. Dvalishvili also landed 11 takedowns against Yan, the former champion. Dvalishvili, from Georgia, is ranked as the third best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.You have to respect Merab for wanting to break the record. I love this s***.
Dana White
