E-Paper
Merab Dvalishvili sets takedown record in UFC Fight Night 221 victory over Petr Yan
Merab Dvalishvili defeated Petr Yan by unanimous decision Saturday night in their bantamweight main event of UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas
Merab Dvalishvili put on a dominant display of cardio and pace at UFC Fight Night 221 on Saturday, breaking the promotion's takedown attempt record in a unanimous decision victory over Petr Yan.
Dvalishvili swept the judges' scorecards with a 50-45 score in his first-ever UFC main event, relentlessly pressuring Yan for the entire 25-minute bout with a flurry of takedown attempts, leg kicks, and wild boxing exchanges.
Despite Yan's elite balance and evasion skills, he struggled with composure and resets as the fight went on. Dvalishvili's corner, which included UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling, kept him fired up enough to stand between rounds instead of using the stool.
Although Yan found success with leg kicks and counterpunches, it wasn't enough to overcome Dvalishvili's smothering performance. The pro-Dvalishvili crowd cheered him on as he continued his relentless takedown attack, with Yan's slight swelling over his left eye turning into significant swelling.
Dvalishvili's victory extends his winning streak to nine, but he has repeatedly stated that he won't fight Sterling, his teammate and friend who holds the UFC bantamweight title. Yan, on the other hand, has suffered his third consecutive defeat and gone 1-4 in his most recent five bouts.
The defeat marks the third in a row for Yan, who has gone 1-4 in his most recent five.
