""The only thing the UFC told me is that I'm next for the belt," Dvalishvili told Bet25. "They said there will be a trilogy between me and Yan, and they also told me that our fight will not happen at the White House on Trump's birthday in June. Because [Yan] is Russian and that's impossible.""
"However, there is a concern of American representation at the White House, as there are currently no American-born UFC champions booked to appear. Meanwhile, if Yan is excluded due to his nationality, that could also mean sidelining Russian welterweight champion Islam Makhachev and Chechen-born middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev."
"🚨 Merab Dvalishvili revealed that the UFC told him a trilogy fight between him and Petr Yan will not happen at the White House because Petr Yan is from Russia. 🇷🇺❌ "UFC told me our fight will not happen at the White House on Trump's birthday in June, because he is Russian, and... pic.twitter.com/UV3XJVPQ0M - MMA Pros Pick (@MMA_PROS_PICK_)"
Petr Yan dethroned Merab Dvalishvili in a rematch at UFC 323, avenging a prior 2023 loss. A trilogy between Yan and Dvalishvili is planned next, with Dvalishvili positioned as the next contender for the bantamweight title. The trilogy will not be booked for the UFC White House event in June because Yan is Russian, making his presence at that venue impossible. The White House card could feature four to five title fights, creating concerns about American representation since no American-born UFC champions are currently scheduled. Excluding Yan could also sideline Russian champions Islam Makhachev and Khamzat Chimaev.
Read at Sherdog
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