Dvalishvili Open to Song Yadong Title Fight in November if He Beats Yan

UFC bantamweight title challenger Merab Dvalishvili has indicated willingness to face Song Yadong at UFC 334 in November if he reclaims the championship from Petr Yan at UFC 333 on Saturday in Abu Dhabi. Speaking at media day, Dvalishvili said he could fight Song "in November in Madison Square Garden" and described the matchup as a logical next step, though he acknowledged needing recovery time after a demanding 2025 schedule that saw him defend the title three times before losing to Yan at UFC 323 in December.

Dvalishvili defeated Yan by unanimous decision in their first meeting in March 2023, but Yan secured a dominant victory in their rematch to reclaim the belt. The Georgian fighter took an uncharacteristic 10-month layoff before preparing for this trilogy bout. When asked about a rapid turnaround against Song if victorious, Dvalishvili stated: "If UFC will do this, they don't usually do this, but God willing when I will win against Yan, if they bring Song Yadong, that would be nice because yeah, I think he's next, that's a no-brainer."

Song Yadong has strengthened his contender credentials with recent wins, most notably a second-round knockout of Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC Shanghai in August 2026. In a social media exchange, Song and Dvalishvili discussed the possibility of fighting in China if the Georgian regains the title, though no official UFC announcement has been made. Dvalishvili noted conflicting priorities—he expressed both eagerness to fight in November and a desire to open a gym and rest during that period.

Dvalishvili also suggested that even if he loses to Yan, facing Song could remain sensible strategically, saying: "I think even if I lost, I should still fight him because if Petr beats me, then [Song] should not fight Yan because Yan already beat him." The UFC has not confirmed plans for a Dvalishvili-Song matchup or its potential venue.