The UFC’s bantamweight title picture appears headed for another major chapter, with Merab Dvalishvili saying a third fight with Petr Yan is expected for July or August, potentially during International Fight Week on a UFC 3XX event. The matchup would give the division a true rubber match after the rivals split their first two meetings at 1-1.
Dvalishvili said Yan is healthy and was even willing to compete in June, but that date is no longer in play for their bout. If the fight lands during International Fight Week, it would immediately become one of the most meaningful bantamweight fights of the year, especially in Las Vegas, where title fights and grudge-match trilogies tend to draw intense fan and media attention.
According to Dvalishvili, the plan is to wait for the UFC’s signal before locking in the date. He made clear that Yan is the expected opponent and framed the bout as the natural conclusion to a rivalry that still lacks a decisive winner. Dvalishvili won the first meeting three years ago, while Yan evened the score by defeating him by decision last December to take the belt.
That result reshaped the division. If Yan wins again, he strengthens his case as the clear No. 1 force at 135 pounds and could begin building a more stable title run after years of turbulence around the belt. If Dvalishvili regains the championship, the division opens back up and his pace-heavy style would again become the standard every contender has to solve.
There is also real narrative pressure on both men. Dvalishvili needs to prove his first win over Yan was not a one-off and show he can respond after a high-profile title loss. Yan, meanwhile, has to show his December win was the start of a sustained second act, not just one big night. With summer approaching, all eyes now turn to the UFC calendar and whether this rivalry lands on one of the company’s biggest stages.