UFC 323 Preview: Merab Dvalishvili Talks Fourth Title Defense of 2025
In just a few days, the latest big Ultimate Fighting Championship event will be upon us. MMA fans around the world did not have to wait long after UFC 322 and the previous Fight Night event. Scheduled for Saturday, December 6, the event will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, which has been home to some of combat sports’ most electric nights. Over the last few years, both the city and the venue have also been the unofficial home of the biggest MMA promotion, as Vegas UFC events always deliver special performances and a ton of top tier entertainment. The latest iteration marks the final numbered pay per view show of 2025, capping the year with one of the most stacked cards to date.
At the top of the card, reigning bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili will defend his title in a rematch against the former champ Petr Yan, a fight that carries huge stakes. Dvalishvili looks to secure a record setting fourth title defense of the year, while Yan looks to get back the belt from the very man who took it from him at UFC Fight Night: Yan vs Dvalishvili in 2023. In the co main event, another title fight as the flyweight king Alexandre Pantoja puts his belt on the line against rising contender Joshua Van, who brings momentum and hype as one of the sport’s most promising young talents. With the drama of a major rematch and the excitement of a fresh face chasing gold, complete with a deep main card featuring former champions and rising contenders? Oh yeah, it is going to be a doozy!
A Deep Dive Interview With the Headliners
If you are a fan of combat sports, UFC, and MMA, you know how important inside information and first hand sources are. With that in mind, we bring to you the Exclusive UFC 323 interview with Stake Ambassador Merab Dvalishvili. The champion has a partnership with the leading crypto online casino and sportsbook, which is famous for its ties and sponsorships of some of the biggest names in sports. From football (Everton) to Formula 1 (Sauber), Stake is heavily involved in sports, but UFC has always been its number one partner. Thanks to their frequent sitdowns with some of the biggest fighters before their bouts, we again have the privilege to see what he had to say and how they feel before their upcoming title defenses.
UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili sat down for a detailed interview, and the Stake interviewer wasted no time immediately asking about him not having much time since his last fight. Has he had enough time to train and prepare? “So after my fight, I didn’t really take time off,” said the champion, and continued, “I had some business meetings in Kuwait, and I went on a little trip to New York to see my family members, and that’s when we got the news that I would be defending my belt again.” The life of a champion is tougher than fans think! He added, “After that, I came back to Vegas and started training camp. I was mentally ready, physically ready, and I’ve been training hard since.”
Stake continued to talk about the ongoing 2025 calendar, saying this is going to be his fourth fight this year, and asking if that was ever the plan. “It wasn’t planned to have four fights, but the plan was that I wanted to be busy, and I wanted to get as many fights as possible.” He is in his prime after all, so what better time to cement his legacy than right now? Merab continued, saying, “And that’s what I told Hunter Campbell when I was in his office, I told him, hey, I want to be a busy champion, and please give me as many fights as you can.”
Many UFC champs take a breather following their title win and only take one or two title defenses per year. Dvalishvili is different, and he is going for the record breaking fourth title defense in a single year. “I want to thank the UFC and Hunter for that, for keeping me busy. And now I guess it’s a record. But first I have to make the weight, Petr has to show up, and I have to win, and then I will enjoy it all.”
Commenting on whether or not champions should fight as often as he is, or at least twice a year, he agreed that “twice a year is good,” and that “being a champion is different, but it’s individual.” He considers himself different, adding, “I’d rather be busy and fight four times a year.” He is understanding of his fellow fighters, though, as not everyone is as ready or willing. “The people who only fight two times a year, that’s cool, I understand, and it makes sense.”
Talking about his opponent, Stake reminded Merab that Yan claimed he was only at 50% last time and how true he thinks that was. My job is to believe that, and I have to take this world seriously,” Merab answered while keeping it professional and respectful. “So he was 50% because I always respect my opponents and I always think that they are the next best challenge for me, even if I fought them or it’s a new opponent for me. It’s a sport, and I have to expect the 50% better version of Petr Yan. And that means that I have to be better 50% as well.”
Comparing the two fights, he was asked what he could take away from the first meeting with Petr and how it was going to be different this time around. “So, what I learned from my first fight against Petr, it was hard to take him down, it was hard to control him, and of course, he’s a great striker, but I beat him with pressure.” But will it be enough this time? He continued, “But really it doesn’t matter, because for this fight he will change his style, he will fix his mistakes. So now this time, I will be a better version. I have to be a better version to beat him.”
UFC 323 Odds and Predictions
If you mean to bet on UFC 323, you have to know who the bookies and experts think has the best chances. Therefore, we have the freshest odds and most accurate predictions for the upcoming spectacle in Vegas. When the headliner is in question, Merab Dvalishvili (21-4) is the heavy favorite to defend his Bantamweight Championship belt for the record setting fourth time in a single year. He has 1.24 odds to win it, while the fighter who already lost to him, Petr Yan, is only at 4.20. It is a landslide of a difference that all but confirms how much better the Georgian champion is. His opponent from Russia is the 3rd ranked fighter with a 19-5 career record, but he is currently no match for the defending champ.
In the co headliner, it is also the defending champion who is the heavy favorite for the win. The Flyweight UFC Champion from Brazil has 1.44 odds to beat the Rank 1 fighter from the USA, Joshua Van, who is at 2.90 odds in his title challenge. At 30-5 for his career, Pantoja is far more experienced compared to the 15-2 that Van has right now. The younger, on the rise fighter is not without his chance, but the bookies favor the title holder to defend his belt and enter 2026 as the reigning champion.
In the other bouts, Tatsuro Taira is the slight favorite against Brandon Moreno with 1.81 and 2.06 odds, respectively. Payton Talbott has 1.38 odds versus Henry Cejudo with 3.15, while Jan Blachowicz has a slight upper hand with 1.77 in his clash with Bogdan Guskov with 2.10. Grant Dawson is a clear favorite with 1.46 odds versus Manuel Torres with 2.85, as is Christopher Duncan (1.65) in his matchup with Terrance McKinney (2.30). Maycee Barber is the favorite with 1.52 odds against Karine Silva with 2.60, while Fares Ziam has an advantage with 1.75, as opposed to 2.13 that Nazim Sadykhov brings to the table.
Moving further down the cards and closer to the start of the event, a very balanced fight awaits the fans between Marvin Vettori and Bruno Ferreira as their odds are 1.88 and 1.97, respectively. Jalin Turner is a heavy favorite against Edson Barboza with 1.32 against 3.55 odds, while Iwo Baraniewski should take care of business against Ibo Aslan with 1.52 against 2.60 in odds. The most lopsided affair is the second bout of the night when Mansur Abdul Malik, with staggering 1.08 odds, faces Antonio Trocoli with 8.60 odds. Rarely do we see such disparity. The first fight of the night features Mairon Santos with 1.40 odds and Muhammad Naimov with 3.10.
Merab Dvalishvilli FAQs
1. Where is Merab Dvalishvili from?
Merab was born in 1991 in Tbilisi, Georgia, which was formerly a part of the Soviet Union that dissolved the same year. He grew up practicing Georgian traditional martial arts like chidaoba and khridoli, along with sambo and judo, which is the base of his relentless grappling style in the UFC.
2. How did he end up fighting in the United States?
Merab moved to the United States at age 21 to pursue professional MMA opportunities. He eventually settled in New York City, where he trained under Matt Serra and Ray Longo. He later became a naturalized US citizen while still proudly maintaining his Georgian heritage. He is now officially a Georgian-American.
3. What did he do before becoming a professional fighter?
Before MMA paid the bills and allowed an athlete’s lifestyle, Merab worked in construction and juggled jobs while training. Early in his career, he faced multiple losses and even considered quitting the sport, but perseverance and the dream of being a champion have always kept him going.
4. What is his fighting style like?
Merab is famous for his insane cardio, pressure, and non stop wrestling pace. He sets a relentless tempo with constant takedown attempts and scrambles. He holds a black belt in judo, a purple belt in BJJ, and is known for breaking opponents with volume rather than one shot power.
5. What is his MMA record, and what titles has he won?
Merab’s professional record is 21 wins and 4 losses. He is the UFC Bantamweight Champion, having captured the belt in 2024. His title run includes multiple high profile defenses against elite contenders.
6. Who are some of his most notable opponents?
He has defeated several major names, including José Aldo, Petr Yan, Henry Cejudo, and Sean O’Malley (the fight where he won the belt). These victories solidified him as one of the top bantamweights of his era, and one of the best ever.
7. What is his partnership with Stake.com about?
Merab is an official brand ambassador for Stake.com, the online sportsbook and casino. He collaborates with the brand around fight promotions, interviews, fan content, and special events.
8. What is unique about his personal life or philanthropy?
After winning the UFC title, the Georgian government awarded him a significant prize, which he donated to support grappling development in Georgia. He is deeply loyal to his home country and often dedicates victories to the Georgian people.
9. What challenges did he face on his path to success?
Merab’s career started with serious adversity. He lost his UFC debut and his first two UFC fights, struggled financially, and nearly retired out of desperation and discouragement. But with persistence, improved training partners, and a relentless work ethic, he transformed himself into a champion and is doing a marvelous job at defending what he worked so hard for.
10. What are his hobbies and interests outside MMA?
Outside the cage, Merab enjoys traveling, training with friends, promoting Georgian culture, and connecting with fans. He is known for his upbeat personality, discipline, and devotion to representing Georgia on the world stage.
