Usman and Cejudo split on bantamweight title picture as Yan, Dvalishvili set for UFC 333 trilogy

What comes after Oct. 24 in Abu Dhabi is already a topic among former champions. As bantamweight’s title picture tightens, Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo have taken opposite sides on who should be champion between Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili, with their debate framed around what each fighter’s style could mean for the UFC’s bantamweight landscape.

The matchup at the center of it is the co-main event for UFC 333 on Oct. 24. Yan and Dvalishvili are set to complete their trilogy after prior meetings that have already shaped their rivalry and, by extension, the current direction of the division. Yan enters the event with a record of 20-5 MMA and 12-4 in UFC competition, while Dvalishvili is listed at 21-2 MMA and 14-3 in the UFC.

Cejudo’s stance is more direct, arguing that Dvalishvili is the man who would return the bantamweight belt after Yan previously dethroned him at UFC 323. Cejudo’s framing, according to Yahoo Sports, casts Dvalishvili as the fighter positioned to reclaim control of the weight class and keep it anchored to his competitive momentum.

Usman, in contrast, points in a different direction. The former champion does not agree with Cejudo’s assessment, instead suggesting that the division would benefit more from Yan holding the bantamweight title. Their disagreement underscores the way the trilogy is being discussed not only as a measure of personal rivalry, but also as a referendum on stylistic matchups and what kind of champion the UFC bantamweight roster is orbiting.

For Yan and Dvalishvili, the stakes are heightened by the nature of a trilogy in a championship context. When fighters meet for a third time after a title has already changed hands, the event becomes less about first impressions and more about adjustments: who can counter the opponent’s game plan over multiple iterations, and who can keep their approach consistent under the pressure of a belt on the line.

The records reported in the lead-up provide a sense of UFC-level experience and longevity. Yan’s 12-4 UFC tally and Dvalishvili’s 14-3 mark both men as veterans within the promotion’s bantamweight ecosystem, with each having fought their way into sustained contention. That matters in a trilogy because the corrections are often incremental, and the fight frequently turns on control of range, pacing, and the ability to execute a specific plan late.

Still, the public conversation from Usman and Cejudo does not substitute for what happens inside the Oct. 24 cage. Until the trilogy plays out, the bantamweight “best for the division” argument remains opinion, and the only definitive answer will come from the outcome of Yan versus Dvalishvili at UFC 333.

What to watch next is straightforward: how each fighter starts the fight compared to their previous meetings, whether the challenger or champion profile influences their tactical aggression, and which adjustments survive the middle and late rounds. With this much at stake, UFC 333’s bantamweight trilogy is poised to influence the immediate title path and the tone of the division’s next title-caliber matchups.