News Merab Dvalishvili vs Petr Yan 2 for the Bantamweight Championship set to headline UFC 323 in Las Vegas on December 6

[ejazahmednit]

Merab has a fan in me now just because of his activity, love active fighters, win or lose
And Yan is my favourite BW, never miss his fights

 

[ExitLUPin]

Yan has gone through numerous surgeries in recent years. He's definitely not in his physical prime anymore. If the torn shoulder and leg injury from Merab's check in the 1st round were legit, I think he has a shot, but it's definitely an uphill climb with the accumulation of surgeries. Just in the last couple years he's had work done for a torn ACL, meniscus, shoulder and elbow. On pure ability/technique he's one of the handful of guys who can compete against Merab, but the physical differences might be too much at this point in Yan's career. We'll see.

 

[ssBaldy]

I will be rooting for Yan, but a champion who defends 4 times a year will always have my respect, too.

 

[TheGreenMachine]

No I don’t think Merab is suddenly going to age in 2 months more than Yan who is no spry chicken either.

Take a hike

Yan is 32 which is still prime athletic age in the UFC. The stats for UFC fighters who lose title fights after 35 under Middleweight is still like 3 wins to 30 losses.

I also didn't say Merab was going to lose. I still have him winning, but I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't look the same and its competitive or he loses.

You sound like some kid or teen who hasn't felt the effects of aging yet, let alone an as an athlete. It comes on quick, especially after 35. Get lost and come back when you know what you're talking about kid.

 

[markg171]

Yan is 32 which is still prime athletic age in the UFC. The stats for UFC fighters who lose title fights after 35 under Middleweight is still like 3 wins to 30 losses.

I also didn't say Merab was going to lose. I still have him winning, but I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't look the same and its competitive or he loses.

You sound like some kid or teen who hasn't felt the effects of aging yet, let alone an as an athlete. It comes on quick, especially after 35. Get lost and come back when you know what you're talking about kid.

You forgot that the person overwhelmingly contributing to the older champions wins is Merab himself

 

[SuperAlly]

Crazy he doesn't even know lol

Gotta love Merab

 

[SuperAlly]

 

[TheWobbler]

The quick turn around will not treat Merab, who is closing in on 35, well.

Trying to earn as much cash as he can. Don't blame him as he fucked himself waiting for Aljo to lose the belt. Could have been making that champ money a long time ago.

 

[mkess101]

Yan is 32 which is still prime athletic age in the UFC. The stats for UFC fighters who lose title fights after 35 under Middleweight is still like 3 wins to 30 losses.

I also didn't say Merab was going to lose. I still have him winning, but I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't look the same and its competitive or he loses.

You sound like some kid or teen who hasn't felt the effects of aging yet, let alone an as an athlete. It comes on quick, especially after 35. Get lost and come back when you know what you're talking about kid.

Can't believe I'm agreeing with @markg171 but Merab is the exception that makes the rule. We haven't seen him even BEGIN to slow down so thinking we'd see it here makes little sense. Obviously Father Time is undefeated but there are outliers as to when that time comes. Merab looks like the Tom Brady of MMA, approaching the age where most guys fall off a cliff but looking like he's dead in the middle of his prime. Oh, and I played college football, had a (very brief-2 fights) MMA career etc and am in my 40's so trust me I know all about the effects of aging lol.

I know you aren't picking Yan to win, but if he does better this time I can't see it having to do with Merab slowing at all. It will be due to good adjustments from Yan, whatever those might be.

 

[TheGreenMachine]

You forgot that the person overwhelmingly contributing to the older champions wins is Merab himself

It still doesn't change the fact that those aren't good odds, and his chances of age catching up sooner rather than later are pretty high.

Everyone was saying the same thing about Belal after the Edwards fight, and he lost his next fight to JDM.

 

[TheGreenMachine]

Can't believe I'm agreeing with @markg171 but Merab is the exception that makes the rule. We haven't seen him even BEGIN to slow down so thinking we'd see it here makes little sense. Obviously Father Time is undefeated but there are outliers as to when that time comes. Merab looks like the Tom Brady of MMA, approaching the age where most guys fall off a cliff but looking like he's dead in the middle of his prime. Oh, and I played college football, had a (very brief-2 fights) MMA career etc and am in my 40's so trust me I know all about the effects of aging lol.

I know you aren't picking Yan to win, but if he does better this time I can't see it having to do with Merab slowing at all. It will be due to good adjustments from Yan, whatever those might be.

Like I said above, I remember this exact thing being said about Belal who won the title at 35 and then lost his very next fight at 36. I was saying the same thing then I'm saying now. Not saying age had anything to do with Belal's loss, and it was a close fight, but when your game is so cardio/wrestling dominant and you slow down even a little bit, it makes a big difference. Especially in title fights where the margin of error is so small.

Belal is just a good example because his style, age, and next opponent mirror Merab in this case almost to the T. I still think Umar will be the one to beat Merab, especially once he starts pushing 35/36. But I wouldn't be surprised if he loses to Yan either. Its not like Merab doesn't have 4 past losses either.

 

[FreedomCricket]

In the last Yan fight, Merab had to shoot like 50 times. Mostly unsuccessfully. Everyone else Merab fights gets taken down and controlled.

If Yan can continually defend takedowns and provide some pitter patter shots, he has a chance.