UFC bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili has put together an incredible nine-fight winning streak and is currently ranked No. 1 at 135 pounds, thanks in part to his unanimous decision victory over former champion Petr Yan in the UFC Las Vegas headliner last March.
Unfortunately, “no one gives a f—k.”
That’s according to No. 2-ranked bantamweight Sean O’Malley, who will battle Dvalishvili’s friend and teammate, Aljamain Sterling, atop the UFC 292 pay-per-view (PPV) event this August in Boston, with “Funk Master” putting his 135-pound title on the line.
“Merab’s beat good guys, he’s had a good career, and no one gives a f—k,” O’Malley said on The Timbo Sugar Show (transcribed by MMA Fighting). “The most exciting thing to ever happen to him was me giving him my jacket to hold, and it’s like he’s running [with it]. He bought a replica, he’s wearing it. He’s trying to do as many interviews as he can. He’s like, ‘Holy f—k, this is what it feels like to have anyone give a f—k about me.’ It’s like, dude, that was three weeks ago, bud. Take it off. It’s not even the real one. It’s the f—king fake one that you bought, bud.”
Dvalishvili was in the cage for the face off between O’Malley and Sterling at the conclusion of UFC 288 in Newark. “The Machine” was able to get his hands on “Sugar’s” red jacket and continues to wear it — or a replica of the jacket — in random social media posts.
No word yet on when Dvalishvili will make his return to competition but recent hand surgery is expected to keep him sidelined for the next three months. Hopefully the red jacket will be retired by then, or replaced by a new prize at the conclusion of UFC 292 in “Beantown.”