Yan upsets Dvalishvili to capture bantamweight championship at UFC 323

Petr Yan stunned favourite Merab Dvalishvili astatine UFC 323 successful Las Vegas to extremity the Georgian’s 14-fight winning streak.

Petr Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili with a dominating effort to seizure the bantamweight title by unanimous determination astatine UFC 323 connected Saturday night.

With punishing strikes and respective crushing kicks to the rib cage, Yan (20-5) ended Dvalishvili’s 14-match winning streak.

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“I’m precise blessed to basal present with the title belt; convey you to each the fans,” Yan said, done an interpreter. “I worked truthful hard, I prepared truthful hard for this moment.”

Dvalishvili (21-5) hadn’t mislaid since April 21, 2018, erstwhile Ricky Simon won by submission. It was his 4th rubric lucifer of 2025.

Yan exacted revenge for his past nonaccomplishment erstwhile Dvalishvili defeated the 32-year-old by unanimous determination connected a UFC Fight Night paper connected March 11, 2023.

Dvalishvili, 34, closed a -425 favourite, which meant a bettor laid $425 to $100 astatine BetMGM. Anyone wagering $100 connected Yan would person won $320.

“I mislaid today,” Dvalishvili said. “Congratulations to him.”

Petr Yan, right, punches Merab Dvalishvili successful their bantamweight rubric bout astatine UFC 323 [Ian Maule/Getty Images via AFP]

In the co-main event, challenger Joshua Van won the flyweight loop from erstwhile champion Alexandre Pantoja with a TKO conscionable 26 seconds into the archetypal circular aft a quirky finish.

In what appeared to beryllium a freak accident, Pantoja (30-6) injured his near enarthrosis conscionable aft throwing a close roundkick to Van’s head. But arsenic Van (16-2) blocked the kick, Pantoja utilized his near limb to brace his fall. His limb buckled, and helium instantly grabbed it and waved to referee Herb Dean to halt the bout astatine 26 seconds.

In a show of sportsmanship, Van instantly joined Pantoja connected the canvas to cheque connected him erstwhile the bout was called.