Merab Dvalishvili’s coach clears up confusing UFC 323 corner remark that stunned fans

John Wood, head coach at Syndicate MMA, drew attention during the main event on December 6 by sharing his view of how the fight was unfolding.

After three rounds, Wood told Dvalishvili that he was ahead on the scorecards. That call left many fans puzzled, as it did not match what most people were seeing in the cage.

During an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Wood addressed the backlash and explained that everyone in Dvalishvili’s corner shared that view from their vantage point.

He said: “Looking from the corner, I’ve always been pretty good at judging how the fight is going.

“I thought that Merab was busier, doing the more pressing. But looking at it now, Petr had the bigger moments. He was landing the bigger strikes, getting the bigger reactions, and doing the damage.

“From everything that I’ve (seen), a lot of people have thought that was the wrong call.”

Wood added: “In the moment, again, I think we all thought that we were pressing the action. It’s something I’ve gotta go back and look at. If I’ve made a mistake, then it’s something I definitely need to fix.

“But at that moment, in the corner, we all felt that we were up.”

Merab Dvalishvili tells Petr Yan not to get ‘too comfortable’ on the UFC bantamweight throne

It did not take long for Dvalishvili to make his intentions clear heading into 2026.

After trading dominant five-round victories, there is growing interest in a trilogy bout between ‘No Mercy’ and ‘The Machine’.

Although Yan turned down an immediate rematch following his title win, the Georgian remains focused on regaining the belt early in the new year.

Dvalishvili wrote on X: “I will 100% come back stronger and ready for war again and will reclaim what is mine!

“I am fine for everyone sending their concerns – just a few stitches. I will try and respond to all my texts but please don’t take my non response personally. Your messages are all important yet overwhelming and I appreciate every single one!

“Saturday was not my night – Yan was the better man and I congratulate him and his team on their win. Don’t get too comfortable – I am taking it right back in what I hope is a rematch as soon as possible,” he concluded.