Merab Dvalishvili is considering a rematch with Petr Yan at UFC 313 in March 2025, despite the UFC’s preference for Umar Nurmagomedov as the next challenger, due to scheduling conflicts related to Ramadan.
Merab Dvalishvili was definitely tuned in to Petr Yan’s latest performance. After previously suggesting Deiveson Figueiredo as a more deserving contender than Umar Nurmagomedov, the reigning UFC bantamweight champion couldn’t ignore Yan’s callout after his win over Figueiredo at UFC Macau. Yan’s on a roll now, securing two consecutive victories following a tough decision loss to Dvalishvili back in March 2023, which marked his third straight defeat at the time.
With Saturday’s victory over Figueiredo, Yan wasted no time calling for a rematch with Dvalishvili. “I want to say, Merab, what you say now when I beat No. 1 contender in my division?” Yan shouted to the crowd in China. “I want to do a rematch with Merab. Let’s go.”
Dvalishvili didn’t let that challenge linger unanswered for long. He quickly responded with a proposal for a rematch at UFC 313 in March. “Great fight, Petr,” he said on Instagram. “I like your callout and I like your respect. Let’s go again after two years. March 8. T-Mobile [Arena]. Let’s f*cking go.”
He even took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the callout. “Did you guys watch the full fight for Yan v. Figueiredo?! I know a lot of you guys probably missed it because of the time difference but it’s a must watch,” he tweeted. “Make no comments unless you witnessed the work of Yan. He looked absolutely unstoppable. Let’s go !! March 8th #UFC313.”
However, this message might face some hurdles since the UFC is still pushing Nurmagomedov as the next challenger for the bantamweight title after his impressive win over Cory Sandhagen. Nurmagomedov boasts an unblemished record of 18-0, including six straight wins in the UFC.
All signs were pointing towards Nurmagomedov getting his title shot in early 2025, but Dvalishvili wants to wait until March for his first defense. This timing collides with Ramadan, during which Nurmagomedov prefers not to compete due to fasting from dawn to sunset.
As a result, the scheduling conflict has kept tensions high between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov without any resolution in sight. Despite previously hinting at an immediate rematch with former champ Sean O’Malley, Dvalishvili seems more inclined to rekindle his rivalry with Yan rather than face Nurmagomedov next.
But make no mistake—Nurmagomedov’s paying attention too.