UFC Hall Of Famer Urges Merab Dvalishvili To “Take A Break” After Grueling 2025 Run And Title Loss To Petr Yan
Merab Dvalishvili is being encouraged by a UFC legend to step back and catch his breath after a high-volume 2025 campaign in the Octagon.
True to his nickname, “The Machine” kept an intense pace this year, capping it off by attempting a historic fourth bantamweight title defense in a single calendar year when he faced Petr Yan in their UFC 323 main event rematch last weekend. However, Dvalishvili’s push for the record came up short, as he suffered a gruelling unanimous decision loss that halted his historic run.
Merab Dvalishvili’s setback also ended his impressive 14-fight win streak, a run marked by dominant victories over nearly every top contender in the UFC bantamweight division. During that stretch, he also notched three successful title defenses against Umar Nurmagomedov, Sean O’Malley, and Cory Sandhagen.
Now that “The Machine” is no longer champion, UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping believes this is the right moment for him to step back and recharge.
Michael Bisping Wants Merab Dvalishvili To Hit Pause After UFC 323 Loss
During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Michael Bisping reflected on Merab Dvalishvili’s extreme 2025 schedule. The former middleweight champion acknowledged that “The Machine” has certainly earned a rematch with Petr Yan next year, but also urged him to slow down, take some time away from the grind, recharge, and return stronger.
“Merab probably deserves the rematch if we’re being honest,” Bisping said. “Look at the body of work, then yeah, he probably does, but there’s Umar Nurmagomedov out there. I would say let Yan defend for a minute. Take a break, brother. Have a little bit of time off. You’ve done incredible things.”
Bisping also advised Dvalishvili to enjoy the success he’s already earned and then return refreshed to reclaim his spot at the top.
“You no doubt earned a tremendous amount of money. You’ve represented your country at the highest level, and you have put yourself through it. Have three, four, five months off. Rest on your laurels. Reap the rewards of your riches and your spoils, OK? Relax. Take a break. Let the body and the mind relax a little bit, then come back and look to take your throne.”
