Merab Dvalishvili, a bantamweight fighter from Georgia, revealed that he fought injured during his bout against Petr Yan at UFC 323 on December 6, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Despite being told by UFC doctors that he could withdraw due to his condition, Dvalishvili opted to fight, stating, “I like to take challenges.” Although he lost the match, he remains optimistic about his future, noting that the UFC has promised him a rematch against the new champion. Dvalishvili is currently recovering from a broken nose sustained in April and is keeping busy by participating in a wrestling match against Henry Cejudo at Real American Freestyle 08 in Philadelphia on April 18, 2026. He expressed his eagerness to return to the octagon, ideally in July or August.