Petr Yan solidified his place as bantamweight champion at UFC 333 when he took the trilogy bout with Merab Dvalishvili.
Yan (21-5 MMA, 13-4 UFC) showed his December title win in the rematch was no fluke when he scored a unanimous decision victory over Dvalishvili (21-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) in Saturday's rubber match at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Check below for the top X (formerly Twitter) reactions to Yan's title defense over Dvalishvili at UFC 333.
THE CO-MAIN EVENT HAS ARRIVED 😎
— UFC (@ufc) October 24, 2026
Petr Yan vs Merab Dvalishvili 3 @VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | InAbuDhabi
[ UFC 333 | LIVE NOW on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/lV2dUdlN2a
Hands wrapped for the trilogy 👊
— UFC_AUSNZ (@UFC_AUSNZ) October 24, 2026
Bantamweight gold is on the line soon!#UFC333 | Order Main Card at Link in Bio | #InAbuDhabi | @VisitAbuDhabipic.twitter.com/yVUHRRQW9t
Petr Yan walking out with his two sons for his title fight ❤️
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) October 24, 2026
[ #UFC333 | LIVE on @paramountplus ] pic.twitter.com/TpKaaTN0KB
ONE. FINAL. TIME.
— UFC (@ufc) October 24, 2026
Petr Yan vs Merab Dvalishvili 3@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi
[ #UFC333 | LIVE NOW on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/W9x1LgGibQ
Lots of early pressure and activity from Merab early on it will be interesting to see if he can keep this pace or if Yan can defend them
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) October 24, 2026
Merab already on a crazy pace but petr hasn’t started fighting yet.
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) October 24, 2026
Early pressure from the challenger 👀@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi
— UFC (@ufc) October 24, 2026
[ #UFC333 | LIVE NOW on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/35ghjoODYv
Solid first round for Merab #ufc333
— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) October 24, 2026
Good pressure from merab round 1 #ufc333
— Billy Quarantillo (@BillyQMMA) October 24, 2026
Yan's takedown defense is just absurd
— Alexander K Lee (@AlexanderKLee) October 24, 2026
Merab is RELENTLESS with the pressure!
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) October 24, 2026
[ #UFC333 | LIVE on @paramountplus ] pic.twitter.com/jAhopAqes5
Merab is mixing the striking to grappling transitions nicely. Yan is pacing himself. I think Merab is up 2 rnds to 0, so far #ufc333
— Dominick Cruz (@DominickCruz) October 24, 2026
Yan needs to attack the body
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) October 24, 2026
20-18 Merab. Yan looks flat. Can’t seem to get much of anything off against Merab’s pace and movement #UFC333
— Nolan King (@mma_kings) October 24, 2026
Yan throwing hands but Merab is with the smoke! But I got Merab 2-0 #ufc333
— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) October 24, 2026
Let’s see if Yan comes alive the next 3 rounds. #UFC333
— Michael Chiesa (@MikeMav22) October 24, 2026
The Champ is starting to find his groove 👀@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi
— UFC (@ufc) October 24, 2026
[ #UFC333 | LIVE NOW on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/3wBYqKdoLK
Let’s go. You have to punish this dude. Massive close to R3 for Yan
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) October 24, 2026
Great comeback Round for Yan. 2-1 Merab
— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) October 24, 2026
Crazy fight and pace Yan hurt him there and is starting to pick up some momentum.
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) October 24, 2026
2-1 Merab going into the fourth round
Round 3: 10-9 Yan.
— Matthew Wells (@MrMWells) October 24, 2026
29-28 Merab.
Huge shift in momentum. Yan blasted Merab repeatedly with big shots there. #UFC333
Petr Yan is probably the best striker on the break or exit exchanges I've ever seen in the UFC. #UFC333
— Chisanga Malata (@Chisanga_Malata) October 24, 2026
2-2? Amazing fight, I’d watch this match up every month #UFC333
— Casey Oneill (@kingcaseymma) October 24, 2026
10-9 Yan in R4
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) October 24, 2026
38-38
Even going into the final round and Merab is running out of ideas. He needs to dig deep if he wants the belt back.
2-2 fight of the year lfggggg
— Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155) October 24, 2026
2-2 it comes down to the last round!!
— Aiemann Zahabi (@Aiemannzahabi) October 24, 2026
The trilogy is going to the 5th round 🍿
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) October 24, 2026
[ #UFC333 | LIVE on @paramountplus ] pic.twitter.com/37rko911rA
Not sure how Merab keeps eating these body shots. #UFC333
— Dominick Cruz (@DominickCruz) October 24, 2026
Merab has surpassed 50 UFC takedown attempts, per broadcast. That’s a new UFC record #UFC333
— Nolan King (@mma_kings) October 24, 2026
Sean watching right now hoping the judges give it to Yan pic.twitter.com/asDL0SFLVJ
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) October 24, 2026
I don’t know if y’all peeped but petr hurt his hand or wrist bad and still was swinging that and Merab absolutely warrior what a fight
— Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155) October 24, 2026
TRILOGY. OVER.
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) October 24, 2026
How did you score it?!
[ #UFC333 | LIVE on @paramountplus ] pic.twitter.com/euBrMqX1vL
What a great fight! 🔥
— Diego Lopes 🇧🇷🇲🇽 (@Diegolopesmma) October 24, 2026
Can wet just watch Yan and Merab fight once a month??
— Matt Brown (@IamTheImmortal) October 24, 2026
What’s almost as impressive as his fight is that Yan was down two rounds to the best cardio machine we’ve ever seen in the sport in Merab. Yet found a way to come back and win the last three picking the pace.
— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) October 24, 2026
Im not a judge. But I had Merab winning.
— Jessica Penne (@JessicaPenne) October 24, 2026
Regardless it was an incredible fight! #ufc333
What a fight. Incredible performance from both guys. Merab with that patented pressure and Yan was such a calculated sniper. That was a lot of fun.
— Michael Chiesa (@MikeMav22) October 24, 2026
Next up: Suga vs Yan 2 🫠#UFC333
#UFC333 results: Petr Yan def. Merab Dvalishvili via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47) – to defend bantamweight title
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) October 24, 2026
Full coverage ➡️ https://t.co/ledkbmUzLjpic.twitter.com/0D3JGDM08N
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: 'Had Merab winning': Fighters react to Petr Yan's UFC 333 trilogy win