Sean O’Malley sees loads of choices for Merab Dvalishvili, together with one he thinks the UFC bantamweight champion is actively avoiding.
Dvalishvili defeated O’Malley at UFC 306 this previous September to assert the title, and it appeared his first challenger could be the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov – at the moment No. 2 at 135 kilos within the MMA Combating International Rankings – who was in attendance for the battle. Nevertheless, Dvalishvili has been reluctant to call Nurmagomedov as his most popular challenger, going so far as to say Nurmagomedov was “scared” when it was rumored that Nurmagomedov had booked a battle with Tune Yadong as a substitute (that matchup finally fizzled).
On his TimboSugarShow podcast, O’Malley accuses Dvalishvili of being the one that’s scared.
“Umar desires to battle Merab in January,” O’Malley mentioned. “Petr [Yan] desires to battle Merab in March. I need to battle Merab in April. Merab is completely shitting himself fearful of Umar. He doesn’t need to battle Umar. Now he’s saying he desires to battle Petr, he needed to battle me.
“Petr bought 50-45’d by Merab. 50-45.”
O’Malley point out of Petr Yan comes off of Yan’s sensible efficiency in opposition to Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Macau this previous Saturday. Like O’Malley, Yan is a former bantamweight champion, and like O’Malley he misplaced a unanimous resolution to Dvalishvili once they first fought in March 2023.
Dvalishvili praised Yan following the Figueiredo win, suggesting they’ve a rematch at UFC 313 in March.
Dvalishvili had additionally beforehand talked about eager to battle O’Malley once more, although that matchup is essentially the most distant risk for the champion proper now with O’Malley at the moment recovering from hip surgical procedure.
O’Malley is keen to return, however is but to renew full coaching.
“I can’t wrestle but,” O’Malley mentioned. “I can transfer round, I can hit mitts a bit bit, f*cking shadow field, field spar a bit bit, can’t grapple in any respect but. In all probability about three weeks out from having the ability to begin drilling. Acquired to f*cking handle this nut. Hitting mitts, shifting round, it’s no problem. It’s the grappling and shit that hurts.”
