Petr Yan prepares 5-page game plan for rubber match against Merab Dvalishvili

UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan (33, Russia) has prepared a five-page game plan for his third fight against Merab Dvalishvili (35, Georgia). Attention is focused on whether he can secure his first title defense by building on the strategy that worked in their last meeting.

Yan faces Dvalishvili in the co-main event of UFC 333 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Saturday. The two split their first two bouts, making this the decisive rubber match.

American MMA outlet MMA Junkie reported Monday that Yan appeared on "The Ariel Helwani Show" and revealed that his coaching staff's game plan had grown from one page for the second fight to five pages this time. Yan compared the detailed preparation to tactical training sessions used by soccer teams, though he declined to reveal the specifics.

Yan lost by decision to Dvalishvili in their first meeting in 2023, but reclaimed the bantamweight title with a decision win in their rematch at UFC 323 in December last year. In that fight, he stuffed 27 of Dvalishvili's 29 takedown attempts while completing five of his own nine.

Ricardo Viagem of MMA Sucka wrote in a tactical breakdown Monday that Yan should maintain and refine the strategy that proved effective in the second fight. The key elements were body attacks and distance management.

Yan controlled his opponent's lead hand before targeting the body with left hooks to slow Dvalishvili's forward pressure. When Dvalishvili closed the distance, Yan used side kicks aimed at the knees to keep him at range, and in the clinch he weakened Dvalishvili's grip with elbow strikes. His willingness to shoot for takedowns offensively also kept his opponent off balance.

Dvalishvili is also preparing to avenge his defeat. He acknowledged that getting drawn into a striking battle on Yan's terms was his mistake in the last fight, and said he intends to lean on his wrestling this time.

In training, he has studied both previous fights alongside former champion Aljamain Sterling (37, United States) and Davey Grant (40, Britain), focusing particularly on refining his pressure tactics to counter Yan's striking and takedown defense.

Meanwhile, UFC recently featured Yan on its official YouTube channel as the promotion's best boxer, spotlighting his striking technique. While not an official all-time ranking, the feature highlighted the precision and craft of Yan's stand-up game.

Yan has claimed the UFC bantamweight title twice but has yet to successfully defend it. All eyes will be on whether he can beat Dvalishvili again and secure that elusive first defense on Saturday.