UFC

Merab Dvalishvili says he has gained 19lb (1st 5lb) in just five hours after weighing in for his bantamweight title fight against Petr Yan at UFC 333 on Saturday.

The Georgian weighed 135lb (9st 9lb), which was the same as Russian champion Yan, before the pair’s co-main event fight in Abu Dhabi.

Dvalishvili later uploaded a video to Instagram showing the 35-year-old stepping on scales and weighing 154lb (11st 0lb).

“I’ve been drinking water and in only five hours I gain back 19 pounds, that’s what we do, let’s go,” he said.

“Now I’m back drinking and recovering. Now I’m going to start eating. Eat food first, then tomorrow you guys already know who I’m going to eat.”

Fighters typically cut weight by shedding water in the days before a bout, before rehydrating to regain weight – a process that can provide a physical advantage inside the octagon.

The UFC has taken a number of steps to make weight cuts safer over the years, including banning IV drips, which forces fighters to hydrate in a healthier way, and building the Performance Institute, which provides guidance for its athletes from professional health experts.

UFC fighters are recommended to lose no more than 8% of their body weight during fight week.

On fight night they are recommended to stay within 10% of their weight class.

Dvalishvili is aiming to win back the title he lost against two-time champion Yan last December.

During their face-off, the pair engaged in an intense but respectful stare-down.

In the main event, champion Alexander Volkanovski and Movsar Evloev both made weight before their featherweight world title contest.

Australia’s Volkanovski is looking to earn a record ninth win in UFC featherweight title fights against Russia’s Evloev, who is undefeated in 20 bouts.

On the undercard, British flyweight Lone’er Kavanagh takes on Uzbekistan’s Ramazan Temirov.

The 27-year-old Kavanagh is aiming to bounce back from defeat by American Brandon Royval in July.

Natalia Silva was crowned the new women’s UFC flyweight champion as she claimed the vacant title with a unanimous decision victory over China’s Wang Cong at UFC 332.

Silva had been set to face Kyrgyzstan’s Valentina Shevchenko for the title before their bout was cancelled, with Shevchenko forced to vacate the belt last month because of injury.

But the Brazilian extended her winning streak to 15 bouts with a dominant victory against Wang over five rounds in Salt Lake City.

“I want to tell this to everyone… don’t give up on anything,” Silva said in her post-fight interview.

“This belt here is because God gave me the opportunity. I knew [Wang] was a tough fighter. This fight proved why she was challenging me.

“This is the beginning of Natalia Silva. I’m the new queen.”

The 29-year-old, who entered the bout as favourite, led the judges’ scorecards with tallies of 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46.

Shevchenko later congratulated Silva on social media and warned her not to get “too comfortable”.

“Well deserved Natalia! Congratulations,” Shevchenko wrote on X.

“It’s my pleasure to know that UFC Champion’s belt is now holding deserving martial artist – such as you are.

“But don’t get too comfortable – keep it warm, I’m coming soon for my belt.”

It was the first women’s main event in the UFC since Mackenzie Dern beat Amanda Ribas in January 2025, while it was the first time two women headlined one of the UFC’s flagship numbered events since June 2023, when Amanda Nunes defeated Irene Aldana.

Earlier, Britain’s Mick Parkin lasted less than four minutes in the octagon as he was knocked out by a knee from Johnny Walker on the Brazilian’s heavyweight debut.