UFC 333: Petr Yan beats Merab Dvalishvili to retain title

Petr Jan secured his third consecutive victory in the trilogy against Merab Dvalishvili by prevailing by unanimous decision at UFC 333, preserving his bantamweight title in Abu Dhabi. The champion initially struggled to gain momentum, as the Georgian fighter relentlessly attempted to take him down in the first two rounds. However, a powerful liver kick in the third round shifted the momentum in Yan's favor.

From that point onwards, Yan dominated Dvalishvili, nullified his ineffective takedowns, and connected with combinations that left the challenger visibly uncomfortable. Dvalishvili's attempts to answer Yan's superior striking proved futile, and the champion solidified his trilogy win for the second time, following their previous meeting in December.

The match drew widespread acclaim as fans declared it an instant classic. Additionally, Lone'er Kavanagh delivered a sensational first-round TKO victory over Ramazan Temirov with a precise left uppercut, while Alexander Volkov added his 41st pro MMA win with a unanimous decision over Rizvan Kuniev. The Russian heavyweight, celebrating his 38th birthday, showcased his dominance throughout the fight and reiterated his desire for a title shot, which remains to be seen pending the upcoming champion vs. Josh Hokit bout.

Aaron Pico made an early impact on the main card by securing a first-round stoppage win over Losene Keita, capitalizing on an early takedown and relentless pressure before the referee called off the fight.