Merab Dvalishvili has made headlines by gaining an astonishing 19 pounds (1st 5lb) in just five hours following his weigh-in for the bantamweight title fight against Petr Yan at UFC 333 on Saturday. The Georgian fighter weighed in at 135 pounds (9st 9lb), matching the weight of the Russian champion Yan prior to their co-main event clash in Abu Dhabi.

Dvalishvili shared a video on Instagram, revealing his post-weigh-in weight of 154 pounds (11st 0lb). He stated, "I've been drinking water and in only five hours I gain back 19 pounds, that's what we do, let's go." He added, "Now I'm back drinking and recovering. Now I'm going to start eating. Eat food first, then tomorrow you guys already know who I'm going to eat."

The weight gain reflects the typical practice among fighters who cut weight by shedding water in the lead-up to a fight, allowing them to rehydrate and regain weight for an edge in the octagon. The UFC has implemented measures to enhance safety during weight cuts, including banning IV drips and establishing the Performance Institute to guide fighters with professional health advice.

Fighters are advised to limit weight loss to 8% of their body weight during fight week and to stay within 10% of their weight class on fight night. Dvalishvili aims to reclaim the title he lost to Yan last December.

In the main event, Alexander Volkanovski and Movsar Evloev both successfully made weight ahead of their featherweight title bout, with Volkanovski seeking a record ninth title win against the undefeated Evloev. Additionally, on the undercard, Lone'er Kavanagh from Britain faces Ramazan Temirov from Uzbekistan, looking to rebound from his previous defeat.