Merab Dvalishvili says he was promised a trilogy fight with Petr Yan by UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell the night he lost his title, and is growing frustrated by the delay.
Dvalishvili spoke to MMA Junkie backstage at RAF 9 in Arlington, Texas.
“The same night when I fought Petr Yan, I saw Hunter Campbell. He told me I was fighting next Petr Yan. He told me, ‘Take your time. When you heal up, call me.’ Of course, I called him a couple weeks later. He was just waiting for Petr Yan. Petr did some small surgery and then he said he was ready for June at White House, but I guess he’s still taking his time. I saw he did his teeth. He did something with his teeth. Now I see he’s on vacation. I haven’t heard anything from UFC. If our fight is in July or August, I must know. It’s not happening. Even in September, I must know. But I’m hoping he will come back soon.”
Dvalishvili dismissed concerns that a Sean O’Malley win over Aiemann Zahabi at UFC Freedom 250 could leapfrog him in the title picture.
“UFC told me there are no interim belts in this weight class. Nothing else. It doesn’t matter if Sean wins or Zahabi wins. I’m fighting Yan. I think Yan is the best guy. Right now, he beat me — and I want to fight the best guy. Everybody wants to see this trilogy fight. It’s going to be good.”
Yan defeated Dvalishvili by decision in December to claim the bantamweight title.