Petr Yan’s next matchup centers on a trilogy rematch with Merab Dvalishvili, the fighter the UFC has explicitly promised the bantamweight champion’s first title defense once Yan returns from minor back surgery performed in January 2026. Dvalishvili has publicly confirmed the arrangement, noting Yan encouraged him to heal fully before the bout, which both men now target for August after Yan’s projected midsummer return. That timeline and the promotion’s direct commitment have driven the overwhelming market consensus around Dvalishvili. Sean O’Malley sits a distant second because his high-profile name keeps him in occasional discussions, yet no official path exists while the trilogy remains the priority. Lower-probability names such as Umar Nurmagomedov reflect standard divisional contender positioning without concrete scheduling signals.