Merab Dvalishvili
Petr Yan
Conversation History
“Hey @PetrYanUFC you would be respectable if you really called me friend but instead you choose these two as 'friends'. @Anatoliy Malykhin bet me $50000 never paid his bet like a real man. @ Mr_Saint_Patrick1 called out and cursed at my friends mother. Then instead of taking me on like a man after i slapped his coward face he made me pay fines and go to court. Yea you got some good friends there!”
– via X, calling Petr Yan a "liar" for denying their previous friendly exchanges and criticizing him for associating with people who Dvalishvili accuses of misconduct.
“Fans and friends listen to this guy now @PetrYanUFC, never believe a word he says just admitted he doesn't write his own social media.Said he never said see you friend or said speedy recovery friend yesterday on twitter 'wasn't him'. How quickly he changed his mind thought he was humbled when i beat him in 2023 and i was friendly toward him. Forget it now liar game on.”
– via X, calling Petr Yan a "liar" for denying their previous friendly exchanges and criticizing him for associating with people who Dvalishvili accuses of misconduct.
“No, I don't think we'll be friends.”
– via interview answered for a question "Could you & Merab be friends/train together?"
“Ah, twitter. My manager sayat does my twitter, it's he who talks to Merab there.”
– via interview, when asked about his friendly exchanges with Dvalishvili post UFC 323
“The ufc contacted me and said, please rest as long as you want, your next fight is a rematch with petr yan for the belt... i don't want to wait until the summer. Maybe in the spring in april will be good.”
– MMA Pros Pick, claiming the UFC assured him that his next fight will be a title rematch against Petr Yan and expressing his hope for the fight to take place in the spring, possibly April, rather than waiting until summer.
“I'm looking my friend”
– via X had a playful exchange with Petr Yan
“In 2026 my friend you need wife and kids”
– via X had a playful exchange with Merab Dvalishvili
“And question is what's gonna happen in 2026?”
– via X had a playful exchange with Petr Yan
“Yan was the better man and i congratulate him and his team on their win. Don't get too comfortable, i am taking it right back in what i hope is a rematch as soon as possible.”
– via X, graciously congratulating Petr Yan on his victory while immediately asserting his plan to "take it right back" in a rematch as soon as possible.
“No one has ever damaged him as much as i did. He was just broken today, now he's in jacuzzi with his boys. I knew he's a strong guy of a championship caliber. I think he's one of those guys who actually deserves any rematch. He fought so many times, cleared out the division. If the ufc wants it, i am all for it”
– via Kolos Vladimir, claiming he inflicted the most damage on Merab Dvalishvili and stating that Dvalishvili deserves a rematch, which Yan is willing to accept if the UFC chooses to book it.
“I think Merab should get the boys, get into the jacuzzi, think about it. Then we'll see.”
– via the UFC 323 Post Fight Press Conference, playfully suggesting that Merab Dvalishvili should take time to recover and reflect in the jacuzzi with his teammates before considering a title rematch.
“I invite him as a friend, and now he makes these bullsh*t [comments]. I don't understand. He'd rather live in Thailand with all the l*dyboys. He's crazy. He has a wife and a beautiful family; if he wants women, that's no problem. We are living in beautiful [Las] Vegas, women are never an issue here. I don't want to go to Thailand with all the l*dyboys, that's why i've never been there”
– via the UFC WeighIn Show, hitting back at Petr Yan's comments about his jacuzzi sessions and questioning Yan's training in Thailand.
“I'm sure he [Petr Yan] will try to knock me out, because that's the only way he can stop me. If we fight decision, I'm the decision machine.”
– via the UFC 323 Press Conference, expressing confidence that if the fight goes the distance, he will win the decision against Petr Yan.
“You have plenty of people in your jacuzzi; I don't have to be there. I feel like you should have girls in your jacuzzi instead of who you have. If you like to be in the jacuzzi with the boys, it's up to you.All I saw is all you got is boys in yours. Honestly, i haven't even seen you with a girl before at all.Petr Yan, offering a "vicious retort" to Merab Dvalishvili's ongoing jacuzzi joke, leading to the gag backfiring on Dvalishvili.”
“Petr, you are better than this, bro. Stop making excuses. Please, no excuses. When I beat you on dec. 6, what excuse are you going to make? Tell me now... Are you going to make an excuse when I beat you again? Tell me now, please. Are you going to make any excuse? Are you going to make an excuse on dec. 6 or not? Tell me now, please... Do you have any injuries now”
– Merab Dvalishvili, going "ballistic" on Petr Yan for making excuses and challenging him to reveal any new excuses ahead of their rematch.
“In my first fight, i fought with him with one arm. He tried 49 takedowns.”
– Petr Yan, at the UFC 323 pre fight presser, claiming he fought Merab Dvalishvili with an injury in their first encounter.
“I shouldn't be impressed by that. If it works for him, great. Good for him. Just remember, any car is bound to break at some point. Any machine.”
– Petr Yan, at the UFC 323 pre fight presser, dismissing Merab Dvalishvili's cardio advantage by comparing it to a machine that is eventually "bound to break".
“That time it was more personal for me... The only problem I had with him was that he was bullying. He was talking trash about me and aljo [Aljamain Sterling], about our team, and he was just not giving us respect. That was the problem, but now it's all good. I shake his hand and wish him the best in his life.I never liked this made up drama. It's a fight, and we're professionals, people will watch anyway... I don't like this man... If it's not organic, why do we have to disrespect each other? I never liked this... Maybe I joke, but joke is joke. I don't like to talk trash for no reason, and I don't like somebody to disrespect me for no reason”
– during the UFC 323 media day interviews, claiming that his rivalry with Petr Yan is no longer personal and that he dislikes manufactured drama.
“I want to win early by knockout. When you finish the champ early, it leaves absolutely no talk, no speculations. I want to get the belt back and take my revenge. I have everything it takes to beat him.”
– via the UFC 323 Countdown, predicting a knockout victory in his title rematch against Merab Dvalishvili.
“A finish would be good. But we all know nobody was able to finish Petr Yan. He has some split [decision] losses before, and I think only a unanimous decision loss against me. Otherwise, he only lost by decision, so he's good. I'm just focusing on this fight: Get healthy, and win this fight. That's all I want. But a finish would be sweet”
– shared his prediction for a bout against Petr Yan via MMA Junkie
“In the first fight, I was nervous and stressed. It was another pressure to fight against Petr Yan. Now, I'm more mature. I'm comfortable now, but I don't want too comfortable because I'm sure Petr Yan will fix the mistake he made in the first fight .The biggest mistake Petr made was that he didn’t respect me in the first fight. He thought I wouldn’t be able to do anything against him. That was his biggest mistake. Whatever I was better at, I’m sure he’s going to fix it, and I have to be an even better version”
– Merabs comments that he is expecting a toughter fight against Petr Yan.
“Oh, a finish would be nice against him. That would be amazing... I'm fine with him. As a fighter, I give him so much respect, and as also family man... Hopefully, he's a better person now... But it's going to be a good fight. He's a former champion. He has a lot of wins in the UFC, and it's going to be [a] fun fight”
– predicts a "finish" on Petr Yan at UFC 323
“I've been waiting for this chance and I'm ready to fight in December. Last time I was compromised, I was only on 50%. This time will be something different.”
– via the Ariel Helwani show
“Good effort from Cory, but Merab was better. Can't wait to test him next #ufc320”
– reacted after Merab's win at UFC 320.