Sean O’Malley’s coach Tim Welch refuses to again down from Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling.

On Sept. 14, O’Malley defends his bantamweight title in opposition to Dvalishvili in the principle occasion of UFC 306. The battle is a continuation of O’Malley’s rivalry with the Serra-Longo battle camp, as “Suga” gained the belt by stopping Sterling, Dvalishvili’s buddy and teammate. And given their historical past, issues have gotten tumultuous between the 2 camps, beginning with a collection of messages again in Might, and most just lately leading to a heated change of phrases at a media occasion this previous week the place Dvalishvili threatened to battle Welch on the street.

Talking with Submission Radio just lately, Welch weighed in on the scenario.

“Initially, I assumed it was as a result of I stated we’re going to focus on his nostril in an interview, which isn’t a lie,” Welch stated. “I imply, it’s not a lie. I’ve by no means actually stated combating phrases to these guys. However then Merab tweeted out and stated, ‘Subsequent time I see you, I’m going to deal with it,’ or one thing. And it’s like, come on, brother. I haven’t educated martial arts my entire life for a bit of 5-foot-4 man to attempt to punk me out. I’ve educated my entire life and I’m solely 34 years previous. I’m six foot, 195 kilos. It’s like, alright, alright, properly, we’ll see what occurs.

“However that’s that’s apart from the purpose. It is a enormous battle. We received the No. 1 contender versus the champion of the world. That battle goes to occur one hundred pc. ‘Sugar Present’ versus Merab, and we’re getting ready and we’re extra dialed in than we’ve ever been as a result of Merab does pose a severe, severe risk.”

Dvalishvili just isn’t the one one to take umbrage with Welch’s phrases. In a current look on The MMA Hour, Sterling gave his ideas on the scenario, saying Welch shouldn’t be speaking trash to a fighter, and if he retains doing so, suggesting that “there are penalties for issues which might be being stated.”

For Welch, all of this comes down Sterling and his workforce nonetheless being upset that O’Malley beat them.

“I feel they’re nonetheless bitter,” Welch stated. “They let the little curly-haired, humorous man who makes all these movies, who has tattoos on his face — Sean flat-lined [Sterling]. Sean punched him and dropped bombs on him, compelled him to turtle up. You’ve received this world championship on the road and also you’re combating the ‘Sugar Present,’ I’m glad you had been occupied with combating me and never the battle you might be in.”

In the end for Welch, he needs to remain targeted on the factor that issues — UFC 306 — and he suggests Dvalishvili does the identical. However very similar to Sterling stated, if the opposite workforce needs to make one thing of this because the battle attracts close to, Welch doesn’t intend to again down.

“It’s most likely not good for Merab to try this [on] battle week. Possibly after the battle,” Welch stated. “You bought the most important battle of your life and also you’ve received the chance to get a world championship. So, battle week, moving into my face might be not good. You’ve received a battle forward of you that you simply’re going to receives a commission for, so taking over me just isn’t very good. However we’ll see what occurs. In the event that they assume our workforce goes to cower all the way down to their workforce like [Henry] Cejudo’s workforce did, then they’re going to be mistaken. They’re mistaken about that.”

UFC 306 takes place on the Sphere in Las Vegas.