Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling believes Merab Dvalishvili’s performance at UFC 323 was far from his usual self. Dvalishvili (21-5 MMA, 14-3 UFC) lost his bantamweight title by unanimous decision to former champion Petr Yan. Who avenged their 2023 clash by turning in a vastly improved performance in the rematch. “The Machine” struggled mightily with his trademark wrestling, going just 2-for-29 on takedown attempts, while Yan out-struck and damaged him over five rounds. For Sterling Dvalishvili’s longtime teammate and arguably the person who knows Merab best the signs of an unusual off night were evident.
Sterling: “He didn’t go to the body at all something was different.”
Speaking to Submission Radio, Aljamain Sterling said Dvalishvili’s lack of body-punching stood out immediately. “I guess we were kind of wondering if Merab was seeing something different,” Sterling said. “Those body punches he’s almost put me down a couple times with those.”
Aljamain Sterling said even in the lead-up to fight night, Dvalishvili didn’t look like his normal self. “The weeks leading up to this fight and even the day of, in the back room, he didn’t go to the body with his hands like he normally does,” Sterling added.
“That could’ve been a difference maker.”
He pointed to adjustments from their first fight with Yan where calf kicks helped Merab take control but said this time Yan found success with his left body kick, particularly from southpaw, and Merab never fully disrupted that rhythm.