Petr Yan is back on the mats, and the message could not be clearer. The UFC bantamweight champion posted new training footage accompanied by a statement confirming his rehabilitation from lower back surgery is progressing, and a return is coming.
The Surgery and What It Meant for Petr Yan
Petr Yan dethroned Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 323 in a performance that rewrote the narrative around the Georgian fighter. Yan found solutions nobody else had managed against ‘The Machine’, out-striking him at distance, damaging his liver with heavy shots, shutting down his takedown attempts, and scoring takedowns of his own. The tactical blueprint was sharp, and the execution was sharper.
‘No Mercy’ won the belt back and then went straight into surgery for a lower back issue that has kept him sidelined since.
Merab Dvalishvili Is Frustrated
Since losing the bantamweight title to Petr Yan at UFC 323, Merab Dvalishvili has refused to stay inactive. After fighting four times in 2025, the former champion has kept himself busy in 2026 by competing in Real American Freestyle while waiting for the trilogy bout he believes he has earned.
‘The Machine’ was set to receive an immediate rematch after Yan recovered. Now, August has arrived without a fight announcement, leaving the former champion in limbo.
Dvalishvili has also admitted that he approached UFC 323 with a knee injury and the mindset of a fighter trying to stay active rather than someone fully focused on defeating ‘No Mercy.’
Looking back on the loss, he has vowed not to make the same mistake when they eventually meet for a third time.
Yan and Dvalishvili are level at one win each. The trilogy is the only logical next step for the bantamweight division, and Yan dropping training footage with “it’s time to sharpen the swords” suggests the wait is almost over.
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