In January 2025, ahead of his first title defense against Nurmagomedov, bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili said he hoped to fight three times in six months. He named an O’Malley rematch for April if O’Malley was ready, or Yan in March if not, according to Forbes’ report on Dvalishvili’s interview. Rob Font and José Aldo were not among the opponents he named in that interview.
Three defenses, completed over nine months
Dvalishvili beat Nurmagomedov by unanimous decision on Jan. 18, 2025. He then submitted O’Malley in their June 7 rematch, before defeating Cory Sandhagen by unanimous decision on Oct. 4. Those three defenses spanned about nine months, longer than the six-month window he had proposed. The official athlete profile records the three successful title defenses.
Yan became champion by defeating Dvalishvili by unanimous decision on Dec. 6, 2025. The two are scheduled to meet again for the bantamweight title at the Oct. 24, 2026 event, according to the official listing for the scheduled bout.
The three title defenses he hoped to make in six months became three completed defenses over roughly nine months. Yan’s December 2025 win then changed the division, and Yan retained against Dvalishvili in their October 2026 rematch by unanimous decision. The proposed schedule and the actual results are separate parts of the timeline.
Sources
- forbes.com
- youtube.com
- UFC: Yan defeats Dvalishvili at UFC 333
Tags: MMA
