The final pay-per-view of 2025 is here, and UFC 323 promises to close the year in spectacular fashion. In the main event, reigning bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili will defend his belt for the fourth time when he faces former champion Petr Yan in their long-awaited rematch.
Merab Dvalishvili’s Historic Run
Merab enters UFC 323 as the most dominant bantamweight in the world. Riding an extraordinary win streak, he has defeated a long list of elite names, including Jose Aldo, Petr Yan, Henry Cejudo, Sean O’Malley (twice), Umar Nurmagomedov and Cory Sandhagen. He has begun to lap the division.
Embed from Getty ImagesHis style is built on unrivalled cardio and pressure. Merab holds the UFC record for most takedowns attempted in a single fight, with 49 attempts against Yan in their first meeting. His numbers tell their own story. He has 21 career wins, yet only five have come by finish. Most nights, he overwhelms opponents through volume, pace and total control.
With a win at UFC 323, Merab will become the first fighter in UFC history to record four successful title defences in a single calendar year. If he succeeds, his championship run will sit beside some of the greatest stretches the sport has ever seen.
Petr Yan’s Path Back
Across the cage stands Petr Yan, one of the most complete strikers at bantamweight. Once a champion and one of the sport’s most feared technicians, Yan returns to a familiar opponent after rebuilding himself with a three-fight win streak.
The Russians’ strengths remain clear. He mixes pressure, counters, body shots and angles with seamless precision. His boxing is still among the sharpest in the division. However, the key question remains whether he can stop Merab’s takedowns. In their first fight, Yan was dragged to the mat repeatedly and never found his rhythm.
Embed from Getty ImagesEven so, Yan has proved that he is hard to keep down and even harder to put away. His durability and technique ensure that Merab will not have an easy night.
What’s at Stake at UFC 323
The importance of the UFC 323 main event is clear. If Merab wins, he makes history, cements his dominance and takes another step toward establishing one of the greatest bantamweight reigns ever seen. If Yan wins, the former champion will write a new chapter in a career many believed was over.
The final pay-per-view of the year brings two men back together for a fight that may define the bantamweight division for years to come. One enters as champion, the other as a former king hungry to reclaim his throne.
Below, you can watch the full fight of Yan vs Merab 1: