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Merab Dvalishvili’s unfixed injury could cost him in a close fight at UFC 333, coach admits

There’s likely to be plenty of blood in the UFC 333 co-main event. Merab Dvalishvili gets his chance for redemption on Saturday, as his trilogy…

Bloodyelbow

Published: Friday, 23 October 2026 at 4:00 PM

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Coach Ray Longo expressed concern that Merab Dvalishvili's unfixed broken nose could hurt him in his UFC 333 trilogy fight.
Dvalishvili broke his nose in two places during training but decided against undergoing surgery prior to the bout.
Longo warned that excessive bleeding could negatively affect the judges' visual perception if the contest goes to a close decision.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Coach Ray Longo has expressed concern that Merab Dvalishvili's unfixed broken nose could negatively impact him in his trilogy bout against bantamweight champion Petr Yan at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi. Dvalishvili suffered a broken nose in two places during a training accident between fights but chose not to undergo surgery to repair the damage ahead of the rematch.

Speaking on the Anik & Florian Podcast, Longo warned that heavy bleeding from the injury could sway judges' optics in a close contest. The coach also noted that breathing difficulties over the 25-minute championship distance remain a significant potential issue for the Georgian challenger.

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Merab Dvalishvili’s unfixed injury could cost him in a close fight at UFC 333, coach admits

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