The UFC is targeting a massive bantamweight matchup between Merab Dvalishvili and Petr Yan to headline UFC Fight Night 221 in March. The event is currently slated to go down from the Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas on March 11. It will be a pivotal bout for the division, as Dvalishvili and Yan are ranked No. 3 and No. 2, respectively.
When it’s all said and done, the winner could very well put their name in the hat for the next shot at the 135-pound title. Currently, the division is fronted by champion Aljamain Sterling, who already owns a pair of victories over Yan in 2021 and 2022.
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan Verbally Agreed To
According to a recent report from, The Las Vegas Review Journal, confirmed by MMA Junkie, Dvalishvili and Yan have verbally agreed to the bout. Dvalishvili’s manager Oren Hodak has also confirmed the fight. Although verbal agreements have been made, contracts have not yet officially been signed as of this writing.
Dvalishvili enters the matchup on an amazing eight-fight win streak that includes victories over the likes of Jose Aldo, Marlon Moraes, Cody Stamann, and more. As for Yan, the former bantamweight champion is coming off back-to-back losses to Sterling and Sean O’Malley – the latter of which being a very controversial decision.
Check out the updated lineup for UFC Fight Night 221 with the addition of Dvalishvili vs. Yan below:
- Merab Dvalishivli vs. Petr Yan
- Abu Azaitar vs. Sedriques Dumas
- Lukasz Brzeski vs. Karl Williams
- JJ Aldrich vs. Ariane Lipski
- Raphael Assuncao vs. Kyler Phillips
