Merab Dvalishvili understands how the sport works.
MMA is a sport that’s constructed on wins and losses nearly as a lot as reputation and hype. Some fighters like UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley discover fame faster than most and people athletes get a much bigger push from a promotion just like the UFC whereas others should work twice as laborious to get seen.
Put Dvalishvili into that latter class after he needed to rattle off 10 wins in a row together with three victories over former UFC champions to lastly get his personal likelihood at profitable a title. He’s not bitter concerning the street he needed to journey to get right here however Dvalishvili is aware of it’s going to imply that rather more when he lastly places that gold belt round his waist.
“I might be so proud,” Dvalishvili instructed MMA Preventing. “As a result of I do know I don’t get nothing handed to me. I needed to work for every part that I bought and I might be very proud. I’m already happy with myself and I do know and all of the true MMA followers know. I’m right here and preventing laborious. I don’t have strain or something. Will probably be particular for me. However first I’ve to win this struggle.
“It is a powerful problem for me. Sean O’Malley is an efficient fighter and that’s why I at all times wished to struggle him. I wish to win this struggle and I wish to be natural. I don’t wish to overthink. I don’t wish to be cocky. First I’ve to win this struggle and after we are able to speak. One factor is for positive, I’m working laborious and I’m very hungry.”
Within the days and weeks main as much as the struggle, Dvalishvili has displayed a number of confidence that he’s going to grow to be champion however he’s additionally acknowledged that O’Malley isn’t simply going to roll over and play useless.
On the flipside, O’Malley has repeatedly promised that he’s going to ship a first-round knockout and Dvalishvili says he’s heard again and again how he’s going to get dispatched similar to Aljamain Sterling.
O’Malley completed Sterling inside two rounds to win the UFC title however Dvalishvili reminds the at all times outspoken and colourful champion that as a lot as he values his buddy and teammates, they’re not the identical fighters.
“That’s their downside — they’re too cocky,” Dvalishvili stated. “Even Sean instructed me throughout the faceoff [at a promotional shoot for UFC 306], he instructed me ‘what’s going to be completely different between you and Aljo? I’m going to knock you out the identical factor.’ Initially, you don’t knock Aljo out. Sure, you dropped him and Marc Goddard stopped the struggle early. Second of all, each struggle is completely different. For those who fought Aljo 10 extra instances, I imagine he’ll beat you 9 instances. Identical factor with me.
“Don’t underestimate me. I’m a fighter. I’m right here. Laborious work bought me right here and also you’ve bought to indicate me respect. For those who don’t present me respect, see what I did towards Petr Yan? I’m going to do the identical factor towards Sean O’Malley. Identical factor, [Yan] didn’t present me respect and I’m going to be impolite. I’m going to make him humble. I don’t like these bully folks. I don’t like these individuals who look over you. They give the impression of being on high, they assume they’re higher than you however we’re the identical. We’re fighters. Possibly I’m even higher than him so we’ll discover out quickly.”
On paper the UFC 306 principal occasion seems to be just like the traditional “striker versus grappler” matchup with O’Malley preferring to remain on his toes to ship punches and Dvalishvili using a high-paced wrestling based mostly offense that suffocates his opponents.
However Dvalishvili believes deep down inside that his personal putting arsenal is being vastly underrated by O’Malley and his camp heading into the struggle. In actual fact, Dvalishvili made fairly a daring prediction about how that’s going to come back again to chunk them.
“I wish to knock Sean O’Malley out,” Dvalishvili declared. “I’ll knock him out. You guys might be shocked. Watch this struggle and also you guys will see. I do know folks assume I’m a grappler. You guys will see. I’m going to indicate completely different expertise. I’m going to knock him out. I’m going to outstrike him. You guys will see. I’m going to f*ck the shit out of him, too. You will note.”
After all, Dvalishvili isn’t going to disclose his full technique for the struggle however he’s been working tirelessly to make sure he has just a few new toys to play with come Saturday evening and that features “Mexican fashion” boxing to shock O’Malley on the toes.
Possibly it’s simply psychological warfare to make O’Malley neglect about the way in which Dvalishvili goes for takedowns like he’s mashing the identical button again and again in a sport of Mortal Kombat.
Then once more, Dvalishvili may simply imagine that O’Malley’s hubris actually will come again to chunk him.
“One factor is for positive, I’m working laborious and I’m very hungry,” Dvalishvili stated. “I’m going to shock lots of people. I’m telling you I’m on the lookout for the knockout and don’t be shocked if I knock him out.”
