SANKO Picks MERAB Over YAN — "By a HAIR" At UFC 333
Laura Sanko is picking a new bantamweight champion on Saturday — and she only needs one word to tell you how close it is: hair.
"I think Merab will be able to make the adjustments to the adjustments and be able to get the better of Yan."
That was Sanko to MMA Junkie. She sees a second straight title change in the UFC 333 co-main event.
Petr Yan defends his belt against Merab Dvalishvili on Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. It is just the second trilogy in UFC bantamweight history.
Two Fights, Two Different Sports
The first meeting set the tone. At UFC Fight Night 221, Dvalishvili won by unanimous decision with 11 takedowns and 147 significant strikes.
The rematch flipped the script. At UFC 323 in December, Yan won by unanimous decision and landed 139 significant strikes.
Sanko called that Yan performance a masterclass. She also called the fight close, and that detail drives her pick.
The Record On The Line
Yan is 20-5 in MMA and 12-4 in the UFC. Dvalishvili is 21-5 in MMA and 14-3 in the UFC.
If Dvalishvili wins, he ties T.J. Dillashaw for the most title fight wins in bantamweight history, with five.
Yan has a different problem. Across two reigns as champion, he is still chasing his first successful title defense.
"I think Merab will be able to make the adjustments to the adjustments and be able to get the better of Yan. He's got to protect his body, though, man."
Legacy Cuts Both Ways
Sanko thinks Yan has more legacy on the line. She says Dvalishvili's legacy is already written in stone, and a win just adds to it.
For Yan, a defense proves this reign is real. A loss makes him a two-time champion who never defended once.
"He's got to protect his body, though, man," Sanko said. Can Merab fix the body work that cost him the rematch — or does Yan finally defend?
