Merab Dvalishvili has the chance to not only take a 2-1 series lead against Petr Yan at UFC 333, but more importantly, he can regain the UFC bantamweight championship that he lost to his Russian rival.
We all know that Merab Dvalishvili is an absolute machine, which is why that’s his nickname. Alas, his cardio didn’t do him many favors when he collided with Yan in the rematch, with his foe putting together the perfect game plan to ensure he became a two-time champion. Merab, meanwhile, was left to go back to the drawing board and figure out where things went wrong.
Merab Dvalishvili is certainly talented enough to make the necessary adjustments and pick up the win, but in equal measure, father time comes for us all. If he goes in there against Yan with a similar approach to the second fight, there is every chance he will be left empty handed once again.
In a recent preview, Chris Weidman weighed in on what Merab Dvalishvili needs to change – and what he needs to go back to in his bag of tricks.
Chris Weidman has some advice for Merab Dvalishvili
“The other thing that did change mentally, I feel like for Merab, is that before the first fight, he hated Petr Yan,” Weidman said. “He felt like Petr Yan was this Russian bully, and he would talk about how they have to serve in the military and stuff, and every single day Russia would just move their border a little bit more into Georgia, and then they would have to back up and move away as Russia just takes over a little bit more, like an acre at a time every day. Just enough to where a war won’t start.
“That’s what happens to these countries around Russia, I guess, and so he has this thing about Russians to begin with. And then Petr Yan had said some things that he felt like was a bully mentality, and he thinks of Russia as a bully to begin with. He took it very personal, and he wanted to crush Petr Yan. Then you go into the second fight, he wasn’t as edgy with him at all. He was kind of chill, and I think going into this one, it’s the same thing. I want to see that Merab hate again, bro, because he wanted to bring death to Petr Yan in that first one.”
Quotes via MMA Junkie
