Ilia Topuria: "Life is full of twists and turns" - Ilia Topuria shares supportive message after Merab Dvalishvili's UFC 323 loss

UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria recently reacted to Merab Dvalishvili's unbeaten streak ending at UFC 323 with the loss to Petr Yan. The Russian fighter executed a precise and disciplined game plan by targeting the body and using his crisp boxing.

Dvalishvili’s decision to trade strikes rather than pursue his trademark wrestling proved costly. Moreover, the physical fatigue and a demanding fight schedule may have also contributed to the result.

Topuria reacted to Dvalishvili's loss via Instagram stories and wrote:

"Brother, life is full of twists and turns, but to us, you will always be the best. You will come back much stronger."

Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more

Check out Ilia Topuria's post below:

Ilia Topuria reacts to Merab Dvalishvili's loss at UFC 323. [Screenshot courtesy: @iliatopuria on Instagram]

Dvalishvili's bond with Topuria is rooted in their shared Georgian heritage, and they have trained together in the past. 'El Matador' is currently taking some time away from the sport to deal with personal issues outside the octagon. He is expected to return to action in 2026 to fight the winner of Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett.

As for the loss, Dvalishvili responded professionally by praising Yan’s dominance in the cage and promising to return stronger.

Petr Yan shuts down talks of immediate Merab Dvalishvili rematch after UFC 323

Petr Yan is enjoying the view from the top but has little interest in giving Merab Dvalishvili an immediate rematch.

Fresh off reclaiming the bantamweight title at UFC 323, Yan made it clear that history alone will not dictate his next defense. He pointed to his career path after losing gold, where multiple wins were required before another title shot was guaranteed.

Yan also floated other contenders as viable options. Speaking at the UFC 323 post-fight press conference, he said:

“I think Merab should really just get into the Jacuzzi, think about it, and then we’ll see… You saw the fight of Merab vs. Umar [Nurmagomedov]. You saw the way that fight went. So, who’s more dangerous? They can rematch, and then we can see what happens.”

He added:

“Understand the fact that for me to get the opportunity to fight for the belt again, the UFC made me go three more fights before I was able to get to the contender position again."