[embedded content]
John Wood thinks Petr Yan has already messed up ahead of a potential rematch with UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili.
Wood has been at the helm for Dvalishvili as he’s flourished as reigning champion while training out of Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas. Dvalishvili joined him in the midst of his current 14-fight winning streak, and the first meeting with Yan at UFC Fight Night 221 in March 2013 was part of that stretch.
Dvalishvili dominated Yan by unanimous decision in the first meeting, attempting a single-fight UFC record 49 takedowns over 25 minutes, while landing nine. It was a convincing effort, but with a rematch between the two now looming, there has been some alternative narratives presented.
Yan recently told “The Ariel Helwani Show” that he was operating at 50 percent in that fight due to a pre-existing hand injury that limited his abilities. When coach Wood heard that, he didn’t like it one bit.
“Say whatever you’ve got to say to build the fight,” Wood told MMA Junkie. “I am a Yan fan. That was a little disappointing. Like, ‘Oh my God, OK. Now we’ve got to go out there and do you worse than we did the first time, just to prove a point.’ You’ve got a Merab that was 50 percent, also, but in skill set. He is so much better than when they first fought. That second fight is going to be so much worse for him. The fact that he said that, it’s like – dude, just shut up.
“You’re a fantastic fighter, and nothing but respect for him and his camp. But you start to say things like that, then don’t take the f*cking fights then. If you’re going to come out crying, don’t take the fight. If you’re so banged up and think you’re compromised, don’t take the fight. We’re all banged up. We’re all injured. If you take the fight, take it and whatever happens, it’s on you. If you get your ass whooped, we’re not blaming any injuries. You’ll never hear Merab come out and say, ‘I was this or that.’ There’s so many times he’s been injured.”
Wood said that the last thing Dvalishvili needs when preparing for a fight is motivation. Intentionally or not, Yan has now given that to the champion.
“I’m happy that came out, because that sets a whole different tone,” Wood said. “Merab’s actually been very nice and friendly and is a respectful guy. You start saying things like that, it just starts putting fuel on the fire. If I’m anybody, I’m not trying to do that. … I see it being a much worse fight for him. Respectfully, really a big fan, but I do not see anything there that would be a different threat for us, and there’s so many things that will be a different threat for him.”
With all signs pointing to Dvalishvili vs. Yan 2 next, it’s now a question of when and where it could happen. Dvalishvili has been pushing to return at UFC 323 on Dec. 6 and become the first champion in UFC history with four title defenses in a calendar year.
Wood admits he’s been skeptical about whether jumping into another camp this soon is a good decision for Dvalishvili, but said enough trust has been built in “The Machine” that if he’s determined and signs the bout agreement, he will ensure his fight is prepared.
“I would never stop him from doing what he wants to do,” Wood said. “He’s in here training. Whether it’s training camp, no training camp, he trains the same way. It doesn’t change. If he has a fight, literally, I swear, his sparring rounds are harder than his fights. What he does in here on a daily basis is harder than he fights. It really is. We throw the book at him to get him in bad spots and positions, and that’s why he always goes out there and is like, ‘Coach, that was a lot easier than I thought.’
“If he wants to go out and get a big pay check and break records, who am I to stop him? He’s going to do the same thing anyways. Only thing he has to do is cut weight, and he can handle that.”
