Yan vs Dvalishvili 3: Kamil Gadzhiev and Umar Nurmagomedov back Yan
The Fight Nights head and the bantamweight contender both pick the Russian champion in Abu Dhabi.
While The National picks Merab Dvalishvili to win the UFC 333 co-main event, two well-known Russian voices go the other way. Kamil Gadzhiev, head of the Fight Nights promotion, sees Petr Yan as the favourite and expects him to win on points, News.ru reported on 23 October.
Gadzhiev's reasoning is about timing: in his view Dvalishvili is no longer at his peak, while Yan has reset his career. Bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov also backs Yan, pointing to his good boxing and arguing that Dvalishvili's wrestling will not let him control Yan on the ground the way Aljamain Sterling once did.
Dvalishvili had a two-word message for Yan at the weigh-ins: "I'll eat you," according to the same report. Both men weighed 61.23 kg, or 135 lb.
The series is level. Dvalishvili won the first fight by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 221 in March 2023, and Yan won the rematch by unanimous decision in December 2025. In the UFC, Yan has 12 wins and four losses in 16 fights. The trilogy is the co-main event at Etihad Arena on Saturday 24 October.
UFC 333: Volkanovski vs EvloevSat 24 Oct · Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi See ticketsSource: News.ru, The National
