A severe nasal injury sustained by Merab Dvalishvili, a past UFC bantamweight titleholder, might indefinitely delay his comeback to the fighting arena.
Merab Dvalishvili experienced an unexpected defeat in his second encounter with Petr Yan during their UFC 323 bantamweight championship rematch held in December. Following a series of 14 consecutive victories, Dvalishvili was beaten by Yan via a unanimous decision, prematurely concluding his tenure as the bantamweight title holder.
Dvalishvili’s anticipated return schedule continues to be unclear early in 2026. Prior to the upcoming title eliminator match at the White House, which pits Dvalishvili’s previous adversary Sean O’Malley against Aiemann Zahabi, numerous observers had presumed that a third clash between Dvalishvili and Yan would be the subsequent championship contest.
Although Dvalishvili is eager to swiftly pursue another chance at the championship and finalize his ongoing dispute with Yan, the ex-UFC bantamweight kingpin encountered a substantial obstacle.
Merab Dvalishvili Encounters Significant Hurdle in His UFC Comeback Schedule
Through a recent update shared on Instagram, Dvalishvili provided an account of a severe nasal injury he sustained after receiving a knee strike to his face during a training session.
“What a splendid day, and yet another foolish mishap,” Dvalishvili remarked.
“My nose is utterly damaged. It’s further fractured in the exact same orientation, with internal bone breaks preventing me from breathing on one side. I’m currently undergoing an X-Ray, and I anticipate the UFC will assist me, despite no immediate fights scheduled. I intend to pursue surgery to rectify [my nose]. It occurred during a sparring session when I took a knee.”
Subsequently, Dvalishvili consulted with a nasal expert in Las Vegas and provided an update to his audience regarding the subsequent actions in a consecutive communication.
“Therefore, the physician plans to mend my nose and then align it. He also needs to fracture the remaining bones again, and the recuperation period will extend for another year. Naturally, I’m disinclined to undergo that, and alternatively, he suggested leaving it as is and undergoing surgery post-retirement. However, I have no intentions of retiring in the foreseeable future,” Dvalishvili stated.
“It seems I will retain my nose in an even more deviated state than previously, and I will simply manage the situation.”
This marks another instance of Dvalishvili encountering an unusual mishap outside of scheduled bouts. Prior to his match against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311, Dvalishvili sustained a severe leg injury that led some to worry about its potential impact on his career.
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