No one expected Merab Dvalishvili’s 14-fight win streak would come to an end at UFC 323. But that is exactly what happened. Petr Yan dethroned the Georgian fighter. The Machine has a win against Yan already. But why couldn’t he get the job done this time around?

Well, according to Merab Dvalishvili’s teammate, Aljamain Sterling, the co-main event was to blame. The fight ended abruptly when Alexandre Pantoja broke his hand in just 26 seconds. Sterling argued that Dvalishvili didn’t get enough time to warm up, among other things. While many dismissed it as an excuse, UFC veterans Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen backed Sterling.

UFC legends face criticism after defending Merab Dvalishvili’s loss to Petr Yan

Echoing Aljamain Sterling, UFC Hall of Famer and commentator Daniel Cormier pointed out that the Georgian fighter had to enter the Octagon sooner than planned. “Merab didn’t get to warm up the way he planned because the previous fight ended early and they had to head out to the arena much faster,” Cormier said on ESPN MMA.

Cormier’s co-host, Chael Sonnen, supported his view while acknowledging that some critics might question the details. They argued that the timing had a significant impact on the fight’s outcome. However, sports broadcaster Ben Davis pushed back, pointing out that Petr Yan faced similar conditions to Merab Dvalishvili in the co-main event.

“A. Petr Yan had the same amount of time to warm up for UFC 323. B. In their first fight, the co-main lasted only 2 minutes. And Merab dominated Petr that night in March 2023. Extreme copium from DC and Chael 😭,” Davis wrote on X.

While Ben Davis makes a valid point, other factors surrounding Merab Dvalishvili still matter. UFC 323 marked his fourth title defense of the year, and repeated weight cuts throughout the year significantly drained his body.

No matter the reason, the Machine lost the fight. So, what’s next for Merab Dvalishvili?

Dvalishvili outlines his timeline for a big comeback

Merab Dvalishvili confirmed that Petr Yan’s heavy blows caused only cosmetic injuries and nothing serious. However, after competing back-to-back last year, his team wants him to rest, and the promotion also prefers that he take a break.

Still, the Georgian star vowed to return stronger and is pushing for a rematch as soon as possible.  With both fighters now tied 1-1, ‘The Machine’ said the promotion wants him to rest before a potential trilogy, but he is determined to fight sooner.

“They probably want to do the fight in the summer, but I don’t want to wait till the summer. I’ll repeat once again, I didn’t get any serious injuries from this fight. Anyways, 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,” Merab Dvalishvili told MMA Pros.

With Merab Dvalishvili now sharing his comeback timeline, who do you think we’ll see stepping into the Octagon this spring? Share your thoughts below.