Last night at UFC 323, Petr Yan ended Merab Dvalishvili’s year-long reign as UFC bantamweight champion. In a punishing five-round showdown, Yan outperformed the Georgian in both striking and wrestling, dominating him throughout. By the final bell, Dvalishvili lay bloodied, while the packed T-Mobile Arena erupted as the UFC delivered its final pay-per-view event.

Following the fight, Merab Dvalishvili reportedly shared on social media that he had battled a serious illness and fought with a broken body during the bout. In addition, UFC veteran Michael Bisping expressed support for the former champion during these challenging times. However, the question remains: how accurate is this claim? Was Dvalishvili truly injured and ill?

Did Merab Dvalishvili fight while injured and sick at UFC 323?

Injuries and illnesses have long affected UFC bouts, so it came as no surprise when the fighters stepped into the cage. For example, Petr Yan fought in 2023 against Merab Dvalishvili with a broken hand and ultimately lost. Similarly, in the 2025 rematch at UFC 323, Dvalishvili claimed on X that norovirus, a severe and highly contagious infection causing stomach and intestinal inflammation, vomiting, and diarrhea, had affected him.

“I’m truly sorry to all my fans, my team, and the UFC. I battled norovirus all week and fought with a broken hand, but it wasn’t enough tonight. I’ll be back stronger,” wrote Merab Dvalishvili on X. He apologized to fans and vowed to return stronger, citing his illness and injury as factors in his loss.

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Many supporters, including UFC veteran Michael Bisping, backed his claim, pointing out that Dvalishvili had remained one of the most active fighters in 2025 and had to cut weight, which could have made illness a likely challenge.

“Nothing to apologize for, champ. You should be proud of yourself,” said Michael Bisping in response to Merab Dvalishvili’s post.

However, it was later revealed that the post originated from a parody account, repeating a claim made by Joe Rogan earlier in the spring when Alex Pereira lost his light heavyweight title to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 by decision.

Hours after the fight, Merab Dvalishvili shared a video with his friend Aljamain Sterling, showing him being taken to the hospital in an ambulance while appearing happy.

Such parody accounts have become a growing trend, with users creating fake profiles for multiple fighters. Beyond Pereira, Reiner de Ridder also faced similar parody attention after his loss at UFC Vancouver. Amid all the online chaos, those curious about Merab Dvalishvili’s response after his defeat learned it was his mother who reflected on his emotions following the bout.

Dvalishvili sends a message to his mother, family, and fans

After losing the belt to Petr Yan, Merab Dvalishvili exited the octagon and, while speaking to Joe Rogan, accepted the defeat without making any excuses. He gave full credit to Yan for the victory. Despite the loss, ‘The Machine’ is already setting his sights on a potential trilogy fight against the Russian. Even after competing for the fourth time this year, he earned respect from fellow champions like Islam Makhachev.

While he didn’t retain the title, Merab Dvalishvili captured the fans’ admiration and reinforced his place in UFC history. Shortly after, he recorded an emotional message to his fans in Georgia and sent a message to his mother.

“I am ready to d*e for you. Thanks to my family, everything is fine. Mom, I love you. I feel great and more motivated than ever. I’ve got a few small scratches on my face. But everything is okay. The best is yet to come. So expect an even stronger version of me. Cheers to Georgia!”

How do you evaluate Merab Dvalishvili’s performance at UFC 323 last night? Were there key moments where he could have capitalized on against Petr Yan? Share your analysis below.