Merab Dvalishvili has a score to settle with Petr Yan, but ‘The Machine’ is already looking beyond their UFC 333 showdown! With the bantamweight title up for grabs in Abu Dhabi, Dvalishvili has his sights set on another dangerous contender if he reclaims the gold: Song Yadong.

Merab Dvalishvili’s road back to the bantamweight title runs through Petr Yan, but he may already have his next challenge in mind. Ahead of their UFC 333 trilogy in Abu Dhabi, ‘The Machine’ has named Song Yadong as his preferred next opponent if he reclaims the belt.

“If I win, Song Yadong is next,” he told MMA Junkie. “Because we never fought each other, he’s dangerous, and we always know he has knockout power.

“If Petr Yan wins, then Sean O’Malley, because they have a history. It’s simple this time who’s gonna be next for each other, but I think Song Yadong has to get ready.”

Dvalishvili enters UFC 333 looking to avenge his loss to Petr Yan and reclaim the bantamweight title. Their trilogy bout gives him a chance to settle the score and restart his championship run.

The two will clash in the co-main event on October 24 at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena, setting the stage for a massive trilogy fight before Alexander Volkanovski takes on Movsar Evloev in the main event.

After three successful title defenses in 2025, Dvalishvili lost the belt to Yan in December, setting up their trilogy bout.

Their first fight went the Georgian’s way, but Yan came back with a completely different game plan in the rematch. Now, ‘The Machine’ is out to make the right adjustments, settle the score, and reclaim the gold. And if he gets the job done? He’s already got his eyes on the next challenge.

Dvalishvili also explained how the result would shape the next title matchup.

“If Petr Yan wins, then Sean O’Malley, because they have a history,” he continued. “It’s simple this time; who’s gonna be next for each other, but I think Song Yadong has to get ready.”

Song Yadong isn’t just sitting around waiting for his title shot; he’s making noise and taking out big names! After beating Deiveson Figueiredo in May, the Chinese contender turned heads again in August by knocking out Umar Nurmagomedov on home soil. That statement win sent ‘Kung Fu Kid’ up to No. 2 in the bantamweight rankings, putting the division on notice.

A matchup between Merab Dvalishvili and Yadong would pit relentless pressure and wrestling against fight-changing knockout power. The 35-year-old’s pace could test Yadong’s endurance, while the Chinese contender’s striking would pose a serious threat throughout the fight.

It’s a classic pressure-versus-power matchup, and if the Georgian gets his belt back, the 28-year-old could be the next man getting a shot at the throne.

But Merab Dvalishvili can’t get ahead of himself just yet. Petr Yan stands in his way, and until ‘The Machine’ settles that score and reclaims the gold, those future plans are just talk. First comes the trilogy, then we’ll see who’s next in line!

Merab Dvalishvili hires a new coach after blaming his corner for the UFC 323 defeat

Merab Dvalishvili is switching things up ahead of his trilogy with Petr Yan, and he’s making it clear he doesn’t want a repeat of their last fight! ‘The Machine’ has brought in a new coach named Jessie and opened up about how advice from his corner left him second-guessing himself when things got tough at UFC 323.

And honestly, the stakes couldn’t be higher. After successfully defending his belt three times in 2025, the Georgian was chasing history, hoping to become the first UFC champion to notch four title defenses in a single calendar year.

He’d already handled Sean O’Malley, Cory Sandhagen, and Umar Nurmagomedov with his trademark nonstop pressure. But Petr Yan came prepared for the rematch and found answers to the 35-year-old’s game. The Russian completed five of nine takedown attempts, while Merab Dvalishvili managed just two takedowns from a whopping 29 attempts.

The Russian also landed more significant strikes, broke the Georgian’s nose, and repeatedly punished his body with hard kicks and combinations. It was a rough night for the former champ, and the numbers tell the story.

But what really stuck with ‘The Machine’ was the advice coming from his corner.

“In my last fight, my corner was telling me something completely different,” Dvalishvili explained in a video he uploaded on his social media. “They were telling me to attack the body, but we hadn’t worked on that at all. That confused me even more.

“That’s why I am confident in myself now. I’ll do everything the way the fight requires and do what it takes to win.”

‘The Machine’ is convinced he’s learned from his last defeat and insists he won’t make the same mistakes when they run it back. With a revamped game plan and a fresh face in his corner, the 35-year-old believes this camp could be the key to reclaiming his bantamweight throne.

“I have added a few final details that I think will be crucial in the fight against Yan,” he added. “I won’t make the same mistakes I made last time. I’m confident that the things I’ve been working on during training camp will work against Yan.

“There are some good details that I can’t really reveal to you. As for this training camp, I’ve added a new coach, Jessie, who’s genuinely a great MMA coach.”

Now comes the real test! With the bantamweight title on the line, Merab Dvalishvili has a shot at proving those adjustments actually work when it matters most.

Win, and he could reclaim the belt and set up a showdown with Song Yadong. Lose, and Yan stays on top, potentially opening the door to a clash with Sean O’Malley. The stakes are massive, and ‘The Machine’ knows he can’t afford another misstep!