Merab Dvalishvili’s indomitable run in 2025 already uplifted him as one of the greatest bantamweights of all time. However, ‘The Machine’ could not step over that one mountain named Petr Yan at UFC 323, as the Russian snatched the Georgian of his glory in a heated rematch. But it seems Merab’s Best Fighter of the Year award has also shifted hands, at least Henry Cejudo believes so.

‘Triple C’ once labeled ‘The Machine’ as truly deserving of the pound-for-pound No. 1 status in the Pound 4 Pound Podcast episode. However, there was one condition. Cejudo believed the former champion needed a finish over ‘No Mercy’ to earn that spot. Unfortunately, the Georgian ended up losing against the Russian, and that too in a dominating fashion. That is why Henry Cejudo placed Petr Yan over Merab Dvalishvili as the best fighter of 2025. 

Two Very Distinct 2025 Resumes Spark a Debate

“The reality is, man, you’re just as good as your last fight. I gotta give it to Petr Yan, man. Why? It’s because the story is there, dude. What he was able to do and who he fought to get to the title, and then avenged the loss. He got 50-45 against Merab the first time, and to come back and actually beat him? It was impressive. To me, in my opinion, the 2025 Fighter of the Year goes to Petr Yan.” Cejudo said at the recent Pound for Pound podcast. 

Well, it’s definitely understandable why the former two-division champ would put Merab’s bitter rival on the best 2025 fighters list. Petr Yan is currently on a four-fight winning streak and has once again claimed the throne, stopping ‘The Machine’s remarkable reign. But it’s also true that ‘No Mercy’ has fought only twice in 2025, including his championship victory, which is still impressive.

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On the other hand, Merab Dvalishvili defended his belt three times against some of the top contenders. After that amazing run, it was only his fourth attempt to create history that caused him that defeat. With that in mind, many still place the Georgian former champ above Islam Makhachev, Ilia Topuria, and other fighters as well. Even Tapology’s fan rankings have ‘The Machine’ as the best fighter of the year.  

Now the question is whether the former bantamweight king will get his immediate shot at the title or not. For the fans, it seems kind of inevitable, but Petr Yan’s next move has definitely put an interesting spin on things. 

Petr Yan eyes Sean O’Malley for UFC White House  

As the UFC gets ready to step into 2026, Dana White and the top brass are looking to make their ambitious White House fight card a reality. So far, the event hasn’t been made official, but every fighter wants to be part of this marquee show. Jon Jones, Conor McGregor, Alex Pereira, and many others have already made their case to headline the event, and now Petr Yan is also eyeing a rematch with Sean O’Malley on that stage.

Taking to his Instagram Stories, Petr Yan uploaded a picture of him throwing down with Sean O’Malley from their UFC 280 clash, placing it under the White House on the historic South Lawn, instantly grabbing fans’ attention. Many might wonder how realistic this fight really is, but it is not hard to imagine the promotion actually making it happen.

At present, ‘Suga’ is scheduled to fight Song Yadong at UFC 324 in January. If he makes a statement in that bout, the UFC could line up O’Malley vs Yan at UFC 327 or UFC 328, both of which come before the White House event. Meanwhile, it’s also possible that Merab Dvalishvili can face Umar Nurmagomedov in a rematch, a matchup Islam Makhachev has also pushed for.

That said, with Petr Yan now the champion again, do you think he faces ‘The Machine’ next or goes with someone else like Sean O’Malley in a rematch? Let us know in the comments section below.