Georgian mixed martial arts fighter Merab Dvalishvili, who competes in the UFC in the lighter weight class, has publicly claimed that Russian fighter Anatoly Malykhin owes him a substantial amount of money. Dvalishvili stated that Malykhin, a two time One Championship champion and a close ally of Petr Yan, wagered fifty thousand dollars on Yan winning a bout against Aljamain Sterling. According to Dvalishvili, he bet on Sterling and the bet was widely known across Russia and Georgia. Sterling won the fight, and Malykhin allegedly offered to pay through Dvalishvili to his account, a payment that, according to Dvalishvili, never arrived. He added that if Malykhin does not fulfill the bet, he would personally track him down in Thailand to resolve the matter. This assertion was reported by Championship.com, and it provides a glimpse into the personal tensions sometimes spilling over from the world of elite MMA.
The two well-known names in the UFC will cross paths in a matchup scheduled for March in Las Vegas. The event will feature Petr Yan facing Merab Dvalishvili as part of a high-profile UFC card in the United States. Earlier in the year, Sean OMalley achieved a split decision victory over Petr Yan in a bantamweight clash that took place during UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi. For Yan, that result marked a second consecutive defeat, following a loss earlier in the year to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 273. That encounter carried a sense of personal rivalry, especially after a prior bout in which Yan faced disqualification for a knee strike to a downed opponent.
Dvalishvili has built a robust resume with nineteen professional MMA bouts, recording fifteen victories. His most recent win came against Jose Aldo, a victory decided by a unanimous decision from the judges. Veteran Russian MMA fighter Said Nurmagomedov has weighed in on the potential dynamics of the Yan versus Dvalishvili showdown, tipping Yan as the favorite in what many view as a consequential contest in the bantamweight division.