The UFC 333 headliners are officially set. The Abu Dhabi event, scheduled for October 24, was announced during the UFC 330 broadcast and will feature two title fights. The co-main event will bring a familiar rivalry back into the spotlight, with Petr Yan taking on Merab Dvalishvili for the third time in a bantamweight title trilogy.
Yan became a two-time undisputed champion at UFC 323 last December when he reclaimed the belt from Dvalishvili. That came after an incredible 2025 run from the Georgian, who defeated Umar Nurmagomedov, Sean O’Malley and Cory Sandhagen in less than 12 months.
But Yan managed to put an end to Dvalishvili’s momentum in their rematch. The Russian snapped Dvalishvili’s 14-fight winning streak while also avenging his 2023 loss to the Georgian. With the rivalry now tied at 1-1, the rubber match has plenty of intrigue.
Still, Umar Nurmagomedov already has his pick for how things will play out. The Dagestani believes Yan will get the job done once again in Abu Dhabi.
Speaking to Red Corner MMA, Nurmagomedov said, “My bet is that Petr will get it done again. He was healthy. A lot of things depend on your health. He was able to punch with his right hand. That’s what I saw. In their first fight, he couldn’t do that as his shoulder was injured. In the second fight, he could use both of his hands, and it was a completely different story.”
Nurmagomedov also broke down the stylistic matchup and explained why he does not expect a different result if both men enter the trilogy fully healthy.
He added, “I can see that if they are both healthy in the next fight, based on their skillsets, Petr has good boxing, Merab has wrestling, but he can’t control opponents on the ground the way Aljamain Sterling did. Merab just can’t because he doesn’t have that level of grappling. So, he might take him down, but Petr will get up. That’s why I don’t see a different outcome.”
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The trilogy could also have major implications for Nurmagomedov. If he can score an impressive finish against Song Yadong at UFC Shanghai on August 29, the Russian could put himself in line to face the winner of Yan vs. Dvalishvili next.
Since suffering the first loss of his career to Dvalishvili back in January 2025, Nurmagomedov has bounced back with wins over Mario Bautista and Deiveson Figueiredo. He now has a chance to build even more momentum heading into the UFC 333 title fight.
Of course, the rivalry between Nurmagomedov and Dvalishvili has become about much more than rankings and titles. Things have turned personal over the years, with Dvalishvili recently claiming that Nurmagomedov and his manager Rizvan Magomedov were the only two Dagestanis he hated.
Moreover, Dvalishvili rallied after dropping the first two rounds to retain his bantamweight title, while Nurmagomedov was forced to fight through a broken hand at UFC 311.
That experience is a big reason why Nurmagomedov believes Yan’s health made such a difference in their rematch. In his eyes, Yan being able to use both hands completely changed the fight, and could once again prove decisive when the two meet for a third time in Abu Dhabi.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
