Merab Dvalishvili’s game plan for his UFC Vegas 71 main event bout opposite former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan was clear before the first frame even ended. Dvalishvili wanted to use pressure via attempted takedowns and strikes to prevent Yan from getting the time and space he needed to mount any offense of his own.
With the Team Serra-Longo talent’s bottomless gas tank, the plan was a smashing success. Not only did Dvalishvili’s approach earn him a one-sided unanimous decision win, it also gave him a UFC record in takedown attempts and a career-best in significant strikes landed in a single fight.