After UFC 323, Merab Dvalishvili and Dana White were in a very strange post-fight situation. The kind where losing doesn’t stop the machine but rather makes it run faster. The crazy plan of Merab this year, who has been the main event in four of the cards, and pushing through injuries against killers like Petr Yan and Umar Nurmagomedov. All of it hasn’t gone unnoticed by the boss.

White knows who’s been keeping the bantamweight division alive and violent, and that loyalty came right back to Merab in the form of one thing: Dana White offering him a trilogy fight. The follow-up felt even more surreal. Merab walked away with a clear direction for what comes next, a guarantee that the setback in Vegas isn’t the story, just the setup for his return.

Merab  Dvalishvili pushes for April as Petr Yan trilogy heats up after historic rematch

Merab’s latest clip circulating on social media lays everything out in his own words: “The UFC contacted me and said, please rest as long as you want, your next fight is a rematch with Petr Yan for the belt. Rest as long as you want and call us when you’re ready. They probably want to do the fight in the summer, but I don’t want to wait until the summer. I want to schedule the fight early, maybe in the spring, in April would be good, or maybe the fight can be scheduled in the summer.”

In the message, Dvalishvili stressed that he took no serious injuries in the latest fight, just some facial cuts, and feels confident enough for a quick turnaround. While Merab feels confident enough, the fight tells a different story.

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UFC 323 Payouts: How Much Will Merab Dvalishvili, Petr Yan, Alexandre Pantoja, and Others Earn?

Petr Yan stopped the flow of Merab’s iconic grappling through the five rounds. Last time, Merab took the headlines with a record-setting 49 takedown attempts in a single UFC bout. This time, Yan stopped 27 of 29 attempts and landed 5 takedowns of his own. Right in the very first round, he landed a flush right hand that stunned the former champion. Later, he landed a body kick that had Merab screaming and clutching his midsection. Yan’s fight IQ remained solid throughout all this carnage, making every attempt a lesson in defense.

The rematch just highlighted the differences even more. Yan did not merely adapt; he transitioned to another level. The fighter who limited his opponent to only 38 takedowns in their first fight returned even stronger, nullifying Merab’s pressure and reclaiming the title with near-perfect wrestling. The progression between fights stitched this rivalry into the fabric of the division.

Coach admits Merab’s insane year may have cost him, but backs immediate Yan trilogy

In retrospect, Merab Dvalishvili maybe should not have fought at UFC 323. After four championship weight cuts in a single year, the bantamweight GOAT stumbled against a much fresher and better-prepared Yan. John Wood, his mentor, thinks the “crazy” speed may have influenced more than what people were ready to accept.

Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Wood said Merab’s schedule was undeniably draining. “Hindsight is 20-20,” he explained. “The workload, the hours, it was a lot.” But he also defended why Merab took on such a heavy stretch. “When you’re chasing greatness and legendary things, these are the risks you have to take,” he said. Four title camps came with constant stress, bumps, bruises, and zero downtime. Yet Wood wasn’t surprised Merab kept pushing: “He lives fighting. He doesn’t take time off. It’s always full-steam ahead.”

Something similar happened to Alex Pereira earlier this year. After a stellar run since winning the 205 lbs belt at UFC 295, Pereira fought back-to-back, saving three UFC pay-per-views. His fourth outing against Magomed Ankalaev saw him lose his footing. But a well-rested Pereira came back and made quick work of the Dagestani to reclaim the belt. Can Merab do the same to Yan?

Despite the loss, Wood doesn’t believe Merab needs major changes. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” he said. Instead, he wants only one thing—a short break from sparring. And with the UFC already behind a Yan trilogy, Wood is confident Merab’s next chapter is already forming. “I know Merab can come back stronger,” he said. “And the trilogy will probably happen next.”