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Merab Dvalishvili says doctors proposed he withdraw from Petr Yan fight at UFC 323: 'That's who I am'
TL;DR
Merab Dvalishvili is preparing to fight Petr Yan at UFC 323 despite breaking his nose. Doctors advised him to withdraw, but he remains committed to the fight this summer.
Key points
- Merab Dvalishvili broke his nose in two places.
- Doctors advised him to withdraw from the fight.
- Dvalishvili plans to delay surgery to continue training.
- He previously beat Petr Yan but lost in their last fight.
- Dvalishvili has fought with severe injuries in the past.
Merab DvalishviliPetr YanUFC 323
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Fighters very rarely compete at optimal health, but Merab Dvalishvili is another animal. He's still preparing for a trilogy fight with bantamweight champion Petr Yan after breaking his nose, but performing banged up is normal for "The Machine."
Dvalishvili broke his nose in two places early this month after getting kneed in a training session. He plans to delay surgery so that he may continue training to fight Yan this summer. It shouldn't come as a surprise after Dvalishvili attempted to become the only UFC champion to make four successful title defenses in one year. Dvalishvili fell short of the historic feat after Yan, a fighter Dvalishvili had previously beaten, upset him at UFC 323.
In a recent interview, the former champion praised Yan as a great fighter. Dvalishvili said he beat Yan the first time because he took the threat seriously. Though Dvalishvili didn't want to make excuses for last year's loss, he revealed that UFC doctors advised him to pull out of their sequel. Dvalishvili still gives Yan full credit for the victory. After all, Dvalishvili beat Umar Nurmagomedov despite training with a severe leg infection and back injury.
"UFC doctors told me I could pull out, but that's who I am. I didn't want to make excuses. I want to deal with challenges," Dvalishvili told CBS Sports ahead of Saturday's freestyle wrestling match with Henry Cejudo at RAF 08. "I had the same thing, or worse situation, before some fights, and I still made it through to win. This time, I wasn't able to win."
The loss should've been a tough pill to swallow. Dvalishvilli's dominance had crowned him as the best bantamweight fighter of all-time in many people's eyes, and he was close to achieving something no champion ever had. But Dvalishvili has taken the loss in stride. Daring to be great means accepting failure, and setting impossible challenges is in his DNA.
"It wasn't hard [to move on] because I was willing to fight four times in one year," Dvailishvili said. "I was going to take a fight against the most deserving guy, Petr Yan. I knew there was a risk. I like to take challenges and risks. That's who I am, and that's what has gotten me here."
Q&A
What injury did Merab Dvalishvili sustain before UFC 323?
Merab Dvalishvili broke his nose in two places during a training session.
Why did doctors recommend Dvalishvili withdraw from the fight with Petr Yan?
Doctors advised Dvalishvili to pull out due to his injury, but he chose to continue training for the fight.
What is the significance of Dvalishvili's fight with Petr Yan?
This fight is a trilogy match, as Dvalishvili previously defeated Yan but lost in their last encounter.
How has Dvalishvili performed in past fights despite injuries?
Dvalishvili has fought with severe injuries before, including a leg infection and back injury, showcasing his resilience.
