Merab Dvalishvili still waiting ‘patiently’ for Petr Yan trilogy but no date set yet: ‘Petr is taking his time’

Merab Dvalishvili, the former UFC bantamweight champion, is waiting for his promised trilogy bout with current titleholder Petr Yan, but no date has been confirmed. Dvalishvili lost his belt to Yan via decision last December, ending his remarkable run as one of the most active champions in UFC history—he had aimed to defend four times in a single calendar year. After taking time off to recover from that loss, Dvalishvili has been ready to fight again for months but remains sidelined as Yan takes his time preparing for the return. With a title shot already guaranteed, Dvalishvili is essentially in a holding pattern, unable to book interim fights while waiting for the champion to signal his readiness. The trilogy represents a significant storyline in the bantamweight division; Dvalishvili will be looking to reclaim the belt he lost and prove the first two meetings between the two were flukes, while Yan aims to solidify his reign and put the matter to rest.