Ex-UFC bantamweight monarch Merab Dvalishvili has no intentions of retiring in the wake of UFC 333.
Current UFC bantamweight kingpin Petr Yan secured a victory against Merab Dvalishvili during their eagerly awaited third encounter at UFC 333 last Saturday evening. Yan claimed a unanimous decision over Dvalishvili, seemingly drawing a curtain on their long-running feud.
This outcome marked another frustrating defeat for Dvalishvili, who surrendered the bantamweight belt to Yan previously at UFC 323. Prior to these back-to-back defeats against Yan, Dvalishvili’s championship run saw him overcome Cory Sandhagen, Umar Nurmagomedov, and Sean O’Malley twice.
Sustaining consecutive losses to Yan places Dvalishvili in a complex spot within the 135-pound title picture. Nevertheless, the recent loss has not diminished his drive to fight, a sentiment he conveyed in his initial public comments after the trilogy fight.
Merab Dvalishvili offers thanks in initial message after trilogy defeat at UFC 333
Taking to Instagram recently, Dvalishvili reached out to his supporters and followers following UFC 333.
“Greetings to everyone!” Dvalishvili kicked off.
“To start, I want to extend my gratitude to God for his immense blessings, and I am deeply thankful! Moving on, I must thank my corner for their unwavering support and commitment. I am extremely appreciative of my Las Vegas squad and training partners who continuously showed up and pushed me to my limits. A huge shoutout goes to my New York crew and all the New York / Long Island guys!! Gratitude to the UFC for consistently granting me these chances! Finally, but just as importantly – my family, friends, and fans – your endless love and encouragement mean everything to me!”
“I am eager to step back inside the octagon and do what I am passionate about!” Dvalishvili added. “I feel healthy, driven, and will make my return shortly! This Machine doesn’t break down! Catch you all very soon.”
Regarding his future path, Dvalishvili will probably stay at bantamweight to square off against another high-ranked contender. In the past, he has also floated the idea of dropping down to flyweight, a topic that previously surfaced during his teammate Aljamain Sterling’s time as bantamweight champion.
Which opponent should Merab Dvalishvili take on following UFC 333? Drop your opinions in the comment section below!
This story was originally published on BJPENN.COM
