UFC Fight Night results, highlights: Merab Dvalishvili overwhelms Petr Yan with historic performance in win

Exit – that was the name of the game when Merab Dvalishvili and Petr Yan faced off in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Dvalishvili crushed Yan with wrestling and punches to make a one-sided decision over the former UFC bantamweight champion.

Yang is notorious for his ability to read slowly before coming up with a winning game plan against his opponents. Dvalishvili overloaded Jan with information, toning down Jan’s typically intimidating fight. There were few bright moments in the fight, but Dvalishvili staggered Jan with a kick in the second round, and by the time the fight ended, Jan’s eye was completely closed. Jan, of course, was in good shape, but Dvalishvili never got tired.

Dvalishvili broke the record for most takedown attempts in a single UFC fight, landing an astounding 49 takedowns and securing 11. He now shares 74 UFC takedowns with former UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrius Johnson, and is within 10 takedowns of the record holder. Georges Saint-Pierre.

Dvalishvili (16-4) has extended his winning streak to nine and is likely to take second place in the UFC bantamweight rankings next week. There are only two real rivals between Dvalishvili and defending champion Aljamain Sterling: scheduled challenger Henry Cejudo and #1 ranked challenger Sean O’Malley. There will be a quandary if Dvalishvili and Sterling continue to do well. They are close friends and close training partners who refuse to fight each other. Sterling and trainer Ray Longo have previously stated that Sterling would rather move up to featherweight than defend his title against Dvalishvili.

“He’s my brother and he’s a real champion,” Dvalishvili said of Sterling in a post-fight interview with The Theater at Virgin Hotels. “Whenever he decides to move up in weight and fight the next challenge, I will fight for the title after that. Of course I want to be a champion. I proved it again. I am hungry!”

Former UFC bantamweight champion Jan finds himself in free fall. Yan (16-5) is on his first career losing streak of 21 professional fights. Moreover, Saturday marks his most decisive defeat. Jan lost to Dvalishvili 50-45 on all three judges’ scorecards. Until Saturday, he lost only by split decision or disqualification.