Petr Yan ended Merab Dvalishvili’s reign as bantamweight champion in the main event of UFC 323 tonight in Las Vegas with an impressive display of his striking, takedown defense, offensive wrestling and cardio.

Round One

The bantamweight title rematch is underway in Las Vegas.

Yan pressing forward to start and backs Dvalishvili up. Dvalishvili then starts to edge forward though and lands a punch.

Right hook and a straight land nicely for Dvalishvili. Jab for Yan. Dvalishvili firing off a combination now as he closes the distance, but opts not to go for a takedown.

Yan finding a home for his jab. There’s an exchange in close. Yan with two big punches down the pipe and Merab looks a bit wobbled by that, but Yan doesn’t capitalize immediately and the champ soon recovers.

Merab attempts a takedown, but can’t quite get him down. He settles for clinching his back up against the cage. Dvalishvili attempts to bring him down again, but is unasble to do so and they end up going back to striking range.

Yan looking to strike again, but Merab is able to drive in for a takedown before settling for clinching against the cage instead.

They break apart late in the round, but Merab opts to circle on the outside rather than engage.

Round Two

Merab lands a good punch as the second round begins. Dvalishvili swings again and then is straight into a takedown attempt against the cage. He has to settle for clinching for now though.

Merab working for a single-leg, but can’t complete it and swings a punch instead before backing off.

Yan lands the jab and works to the body. Merab swinging hard, but not connecting. Yan chipping away with his jab.

Yan suddenly goes for a takedown and lands it in the center of the Octagon. Big moment for him, but Merab quickly scrambles and gets on top. Now it’s Yan’s turn to scramble and they are suddenly back on their feet and clinching against the cage. Merab trying for a potential guillotine choke, but doesn’t find it.

Back to striking range and Yan continues with his strong jab work. Dvalishvili back to clinching now, but he can’t take Yan down. Yan turns into him.

Back to striking range. Merab lands a right hand. Dvalishvili trying for a single-leg, but then gives up on it in the final seconds and looks for punches instead.

Round Three

Yan back on the front foot. Body kick for the challenger. Now Merab is pressing forward and lands a right hand.

Yan now with a big slam. Merab scrambles back up and starts punching. Merab hoists Yan up onto his shoulder, walks him to the center of the Octagon and then slams him down. Yan quickly back up though, but Merab stays clinched up.

Merab starting to be relentless with his takedown attempts as he tries to wear out Yan. Yan able to land a good body kick.

Dvalishvili wearing on Yan, but not able to get him back down. Yan back on his jab. Merab tries for a single-leg but soon gives up on it. He lands a body shot.

Yan stuffs another takedown. Knee to the body from him and a punch. Merab presses forward with a few good punches.

Heavy body kick from Yan and Merab literally yells out in pain but stays upright and keeps fighting on. Luckily for him it’s late in the round and he’s able to survive for the remaining seconds.

Round Four

Good calf kick for Yan. He lands a body kick. Merab punches into his latest takedown attempt against the cage, but Yan reverses the position and now he’s looking for the takedown.

Merab opts to drop to the mat with a guillotine choke attempt. Yan stays patient and breaks free though. Merab able to work upright though and back to striking range.

Side kick from Yan. Merab coming forward behind the jab. He tries to disguise a takedown behind strikes, but Yan defends it well.

Merab with a glancing right hand. Thumping right hand from Yan and Merab is backing up and might be hurt. Yan stalking him but Merab gets away for now.

Yan lands a kick to the body and then clinches up against the cage. Nice left hook for the challenger. He stuffs a takedown.

Hook to the body hurts Merab again, but he keeps fighting on regardless. Yan steps in with a big right hand. The champ’s face is a bloody mess already and now worse with another cut opening.

Yan’s jab still doing work, but Merab is trying his best to return fire.

Round Five

Yan is now five minutes from winning the title and ending Merab’s dominant reign!

Side kicks to the leg from Yan. Now a calf kick. Jab for Merab. Now an inside leg kick for Yan.

Thudding body shot from Yan, but Merab eats it. Wild swings from Merab and then a right hand lands for Yan. Yan goes back to the body.

Dvalishvili front kicks to the body. Short left hand from Yan after Dvalishvili crashed into range. Another solid body kick for Yan.

Glancing right hook from Yan. Back to the jab. Dvalishvili works around to the back and clinches, but Yan defends the takedown and breaks away.

Yan now in on a takedown attempt against the cage, but nothing doing. Low kick from Dvalishvili and a punch from Yan.

Yan against the cage again trying for a takedown. Merab drops down with a guillotine choke attempt, but Yan gets free and stays on top.

Merab back up. Big kick to the body again from Yan has the champ hurt again, but doesn’t stop him.

Jab for Yan, then a body kick and back to punches. Merab still doing his best to strike despite clearly coming off second-best. Yan able to land a good takedown late in the final round. Great performance from him.

Decision

No doubt about the winner here, with Yan’s ability to stuff Dvalishvili’s takedowns enabling him to make the most of his striking advantage, busting up Merab’s nose and hurting him multiple times with body kicks on his way to a unanimous decision victory (49-46 x2, 48-47).

Yan looked back to his best tonight and his stand-out performance sees him win back the bantamweight title nearly five years after he originally lost his grip on it, while ending Merab’s three-fight reign as champion.