Yan must win. The Merab Meta Is Killing Bantamweight

[sdpdude9]

If only fighters had a way to fight back against the glitch. Like by knocking him out or submitting him when he takes them down.

That's probably too much to ask, how about we just change the rules instead?

Merab has been submitted and rocked multiple times. He and his style are beatable. The majority of top 5 fighters and half of male champs are primarily strikers, so it’s not like wrestling is just unbeatable and taking over.

People are so damn dramatic. Grapplers will grapple their way to wins sometimes. It’s part of the sport. Sometimes it may not be the most exciting thing. Plenty of fights with a variety of styles are exciting, boring, and everything in between. We don’t need to change the rules to further try to handicap one aspect of the game which is already targeted by numerous rules.

 

[SJP_SevenLaker]

Last week Islam, this week Merab. sybau or go watch karate combat.

 

[Streeter]

Not a big fan of Merab but........ dude has the greatest cardio in mma history when you have cardio like that it affords you to be able to do things others cant . Whats the problem?

 

[Gabe]

So, you're saying that this guy has found a way of winning every single fight by doing stuff?

Here's the thing, and it applies to every single sport or even life itself: When someone is putting you down and beating you, find a way up. Don't complain.Don't call for a change of rules.

Such a good comment. If his game is so obvious, then formulate a way.

 

[Gabe]

He almost took out Sandhagen with strikes on the feet, finished O’Malley before that, and the fight against Umar was the most entertaining of his career. He hasn’t been a boring fighter in 2025.

 

[FilipEmoFights]

I wonder how Merab would do without the cage

 

[Rapa]

The Merab Meta is basically a human infinite takedown glitch, and it’s horrible for the health of the division. He isn’t winning by out fighting fighters, he’s winning by exploiting the scoring system with weaponized, freakishly inhuman cardio. He’ll shoot 20+ times a fight, never slow down, and at some point you stop calling it “good conditioning” and start getting suspicious as to why his stamina is literally superhuman. The goal isn’t to secure clean takedowns, it’s to chain wrestle, cage push, knee your thighs and spam activity until the judges cave.

Look no further than the Aldo fight. Merab landed zero takedowns. Yet he won clearly just by pinning Aldo to the fence and shutting the fight down for 15 minutes. No damage, no real moments, just pure negation. You even saw it vs Cory Sandhagen. He actually had Cory hurt on the feet, and instead of going for the kill with strikes, he immediately went back to grappling and control. His instinct isn’t to end him, it’s to smother him.

If Merab keeps the belt, bantamweight will turn into a 25-minute cardio and clinch exam for every contender. Camps become “don’t get backpacked” seminars. We lose finishes, highlights, and violence, and get nothing but “hustle” and scorecards. That’s why a Yan win would be bigger than just his comeback story. If he beats Merab, he’s not just dethroning the champ, he’s saving 135 from an era of grinding, risk averse boredom.

Just say u are butt jurt umar fan merab fcked up umar finished sean almost knocked out cory beat yan so bad he still has nightmares

 

[Rapa]

Nah. I want merab to defend against Yan, then defend against Umar again. These guys haven't learned their lessons yet

He will finish both of them in rematch

 

[Hotora86]

Reminds me of when ppl cried about Lyoto Machida, that he "only backpedals" while "point fighting".

Well, winning without being hit is peak fighting skill. Whether one does it by point fighting or spamming takedowns, it's a unique and impressive skill which demands respect.

Bottom line, this is a sport. TS can cry all he wants but a win is win, and a belt is a belt, boring or not.

 

[El Panteron]

I would advise you to find a guy that never gets tired and fight him, see how that one goes.

 

[AL-Tappo McSnappo]

 

[MigitAs]

The Merab Meta is basically a human infinite takedown glitch, and it’s horrible for the health of the division. He isn’t winning by out fighting fighters, he’s winning by exploiting the scoring system with weaponized, freakishly inhuman cardio. He’ll shoot 20+ times a fight, never slow down, and at some point you stop calling it “good conditioning” and start getting suspicious as to why his stamina is literally superhuman. The goal isn’t to secure clean takedowns, it’s to chain wrestle, cage push, knee your thighs and spam activity until the judges cave.

Look no further than the Aldo fight. Merab landed zero takedowns. Yet he won clearly just by pinning Aldo to the fence and shutting the fight down for 15 minutes. No damage, no real moments, just pure negation. You even saw it vs Cory Sandhagen. He actually had Cory hurt on the feet, and instead of going for the kill with strikes, he immediately went back to grappling and control. His instinct isn’t to end him, it’s to smother him.

If Merab keeps the belt, bantamweight will turn into a 25-minute cardio and clinch exam for every contender. Camps become “don’t get backpacked” seminars. We lose finishes, highlights, and violence, and get nothing but “hustle” and scorecards. That’s why a Yan win would be bigger than just his comeback story. If he beats Merab, he’s not just dethroning the champ, he’s saving 135 from an era of grinding, risk averse boredom.

Merab is cancer to excitement idgaf what Joe Rogan says

 

[Gamboal]

It’s called Ring Control/IQ which is part of the scoring criteria.

Damage trumps all though. Ring control or someone doing more damage should be the latter winning the round every time.

 

[chinarice]

Yan is literally more boring than Merab lol

Hell, I don't even consider Merab a boring fighter. Yan on the other hand...... More like Petr Yawn.

 

[TheMMAnalyst]

Unfortunately Yan has zero chance of winning. This is 135 and Yan has no power, so he doesn’t even have a puncher’s chance.

Dana knew merab as champ would be a disaster, which is why he kept him from a title shot for so long. I think the best option is to force him to move up and challenge for the 145 or 155 belt in hopes he can get knocked out, then cut him immediately. Alternatively, just dissolve the 135-lb division, automatically setting him up against Volk at 145.

Yan has plenty of power and a far better chance of winning than zero. He might still get out-worked and clinched/worn-down in the rematch, but coming in with the experience of having already fought Merab and now being healthy and able to use both arms will put on a much better performance in the rematch I'm certain.

 

[TheMMAnalyst]

Yan is literally more boring than Merab lol

Hell, I don't even consider Merab a boring fighter. Yan on the other hand...... More like Petr Yawn.

If you don't like watching Petr Yan fight you don't really like fighting or violence.

Dude consistently puts on high-level technical violent fights based around hurting his opponents. He's had like two "boring" fights that were based around opponents (Aljo/Merab) out-grappling him for extended periods, and he was working his ass off in those fights to turn the tide. And to think Merab fights in a more exciting style than Yan???

I literally don't understand what some of you guys think you are watching at times.

 

[chinarice]

If you don't like watching Petr Yan fight you don't really like fighting or violence.

Dude consistently puts on high-level technical violent fights based around hurting his opponents. He's had like two "boring" fights that were based around opponents (Aljo/Merab) out-grappling him for extended periods, and he was working his ass off in those fights to turn the tide. And to think Merab fights in a more exciting style than Yan???

I literally don't understand what some of you guys think you are watching at times.

Yeah I heard the same thing when I said Yoel Romero is boring. Any fight I watch of Petr is the same. Also, having no answer for a guy pushing you against the cage? Booooooorrrinng

 

[mirellale]

Yan is literally more boring than Merab lol

Hell, I don't even consider Merab a boring fighter. Yan on the other hand...... More like Petr Yawn.

Right, because high-guard pressure, spinning back fists, and head kicks are a snooze fest, but shooting 30 takedowns to land 3 is the pinnacle of entertainment. Yan fights to concuss people. Merab fights to exhaust them. One is a fight, the other is a cardio test. You can dislike Yan’s patience in the first round but acting like his crisp boxing is more boring than Merab’s ''knee-the-thigh'' strategy is just wrong

 

[chinarice]

Right, because high-guard pressure, spinning back fists, and head kicks are a snooze fest, but shooting 30 takedowns to land 3 is the pinnacle of entertainment. Yan fights to concuss people. Merab fights to exhaust them. One is a fight, the other is a cardio test. You can dislike Yan’s patience in the first round but acting like his crisp boxing is more boring than Merab’s ''knee-the-thigh'' strategy is just wrong

Acting like an opinion on what is exciting to me is decided by you is just wrong.

Plenty of solely standup fighters I think are less exciting than grappling heavy fighters.

 

[mirellale]

Acting like an opinion on what is exciting to me is decided by you is just wrong.

Plenty of solely standup fighters I think are less exciting than grappling heavy fighters.

One guy objectively hunts for finishes and the other hunts for control time. You can prefer the control, but don't pretend the striker is the one making the fight dull.

Grapplers who hunt for submissions and ground and pound are exciting. But Merab isn’t doing that. He isn't passing guard to find armbars or raining down elbows. He's stalling positions to burn the clock.