Tag: Merab Dvalishvili

Aljamain Sterling Uses O’Malley vs. Vera To Justify Merab Dvalishvili’s Preferred Next Opponent

Despite the UFC’s attempt to get the ball rolling toward the next bantamweight title fight, Merab Dvalishvili has other plans in mind. The 135-pound weight class crowned a new champion in the main event of UFC 306, where Dvalishvili comfortably defeated Sean O’Malley. It was known going into the fight that Umar Nurmagomedov was likely […]

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Despite the UFC’s attempt to get the ball rolling toward the next bantamweight title fight, Merab Dvalishvili has other plans in mind.

The 135-pound weight class crowned a new champion in the main event of UFC 306, where Dvalishvili comfortably defeated Sean O’Malley.

It was known going into the fight that Umar Nurmagomedov was likely going to be next, and that was only solidified when he was there in-person for the new champ being asked about the prospect of facing him.

Dvalishvili, however, believes that it is Deiveson Figueiredo who is the most deserving contender because he has more wins over top bantamweight contenders.

Aljamain Sterling Says Merab Dvalishvili Has Strong Case For Deiveson Figueiredo Being Next

In an interview with Submission Radio, Aljamain Sterling weighed in with his thoughts on Dvalishvili’s stance on his first title challenger.

The former bantamweight champion and long-term friend and training partner of the Georgian titleholder believes that his reasoning makes a lot of sense.

“Funk Master” pointed to how there have been many more instances where a title challenger was less deserving of this opportunity than Figueiredo currently is.

With this in mind, Sterling hopes that his teammate will get to have some input into deciding what will be the first step of his title reign.

“I don’t know who the UFC actually wants to push. I know Merab wants to face Deiveson Figueiredo based on his merit of what he’s done in the bantamweight division. I believe he’s beaten Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt, submitted him, and ‘Chito’ Vera. So it’s kind of hard to argue Merab’s point. I do understand that Umar did beat Sandhagen, who was ranked #2 at the time, so there’s an argument there. But I think I can see both sides, and if the champ wants to fight Deiveson Figueiredo, I mean, O’Malley got to fight a guy that wasn’t even ranked in the top five (Marlon Vera).

“So I don’t think it’s that crazy of a matchup. I don’t think the guy’s undeserving. I don’t think anyone could say he’s undeserving. But, you know, the UFC is going to do what makes the most money for them and hopefully the champ has a say in that.”

Continue Reading Aljamain Sterling Uses O’Malley vs. Vera To Justify Merab Dvalishvili’s Preferred Next Opponent at MMA News.

Dvalishvili’s Coach Admits He Too Trash Talked O’Malley’s Corner During Fight

Merab Dvalishvili’s head coach, John Wood, recently revealed what he, too, yelled at Sean O’Malley’s corner, specifically his coach Tim Welch, during the heat of their clash at Noche UFC 306. “The Machine” put on a dominant display against reigning champion O’Malley, claiming the UFC bantamweight title last Saturday inside the Sphere in Las Vegas, […]

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Merab Dvalishvili’s head coach, John Wood, recently revealed what he, too, yelled at Sean O’Malley’s corner, specifically his coach Tim Welch, during the heat of their clash at Noche UFC 306.

“The Machine” put on a dominant display against reigning champion O’Malley, claiming the UFC bantamweight title last Saturday inside the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dvalishvili commanded the majority of the bout, expertly delivering well-timed takedowns to counter “Suga” and keep him at arm’s length. Ultimately, the Georgian powerhouse walked away with a decisive unanimous decision win.

While Dvalishvili commanded the entire bout, effortlessly executing his game plan, the real stir came when the newly crowned champion suddenly interrupted the proceedings, fiercely gesturing towards O’Malley’s corner just moments into the fight. The sequence triggered swift intervention from referee Herb Dean.

In a recent tweet, Dvalishvili revealed that Welch was trying to pull the same stunt he had used against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292 last year. Welch had shouted instructions, seemingly to trick Sterling into believing they came from his own corner during his fight with O’Malley. This time, he attempted the same tactic at Noche UFC 306, which is why “The Machine” immediately protested.

Although Dvalishvili didn’t fall for the ruse, Wood claims he decided to play the same card against O’Malley himself…

Wood Takes A Swing At Welch, Tells Him To Leave Trash Talk To The Fighters

During a recent interview with MMAFightingonSBN, Wood weighed in on the fiasco between Dvalishvili and O’Malley’s corner at Noche UFC 306. The seasoned MMA coach expressed that, while he respects Welch as a person, his antics to distract opponents don’t align with the true spirit of the sport. Wood admitted that after seeing Welch’s attempts to mess with his fighter, he decided to turn the tables, using a similar tactic on “Suga”—but with his own twist.

“That’s not our job, Wood said. “I’m not trashing Tim for anything he does. I respect Tim, but it is a bullsh*t move. I was yelling at Tim across the cage several times when Sean would mess up, and I was making sure Sean heard me calling out everything that he wanted to throw. When he would do something stupid, I caught myself a couple of times in the fight, going, ‘Tim, did you teach him that? That was terrible’ across the cage.”

Wood didn’t hold back and fired yet another salvo at “Suga’s” coach, criticizing him for trying to rattle Dvalishvili during the media events. He advised Welch to leave the trash-talking to the fighters where it belongs.

“Fighters are there to trash talk, to build the fight, do their thing, whether they like each other, don’t like each other, but I don’t think it’s a place for coaches to get in. Tim was doing some stuff beforehand, like at the weigh-ins, he was talking sh*t to Merab on camera, saying things, and that’s fine. If you really feel like you need that mental edge, and especially if you could see how fragile Sean was and how quickly he broke, maybe they do. But like I said, I have nothing against Tim. The tactics, I wouldn’t do it; I don’t need the shine. I don’t need to be the guy in front of my fighter looking to get any kind of attention.”

Continue Reading Dvalishvili’s Coach Admits He Too Trash Talked O’Malley’s Corner During Fight at MMA News.

Conor McGregor’s Coach Predicts Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili: ‘Going To Be In A Lot Of Trouble…’

The main event of UFC 306 that goes down on Saturday night inside the Sphere has proven to be a tough one to call for many people. In the champion Sean O’Malley, you have an incredibly dangerous striker who is always calm under pressure and reads fights incredible well. Merab Dvalishvili, meanwhile, is a perfect […]

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The main event of UFC 306 that goes down on Saturday night inside the Sphere has proven to be a tough one to call for many people.

In the champion Sean O’Malley, you have an incredibly dangerous striker who is always calm under pressure and reads fights incredible well. Merab Dvalishvili, meanwhile, is a perfect counter part to that and swaps aesthetically pleasing offense for an unbreakable will and never-ending gas tank, which he uses to overwhelm opponents from bell to bell.

In many ways, the two men are the perfect counter to one another and that provides the question: who will be able to implement their specific skillset the best?

This clash of styles that goes back to the earliest days of mixed martial arts is something that John Kavanagh referenced when weighing in with his thoughts.

John Kavanagh Breaks Down UFC 306 Main Event, Picks His Winner

Speaking to Lucky Block in a recent interview, the head coach of Conor McGregor described the upcoming bantamweight title fight as a “throwback.”

Both O’Malley and Dvalishvili are capable in all areas but there’s no denying where they are at their best, which just so happens to be their opponent’s kryptonite in this fight.

“I’m really, I’m really looking forward to that. In MMA today it’s usually two guys that are quite well skilled everywhere. And this one I feel is a bit of a throwback to when you’ve somebody very skilled in striking versus somebody very skilled in grappling, so the classic striker versus grappler. If Merab is unable to close that distance, he’s going to be in a lot of trouble. If Merab can close that distance and start chaining his takedowns together, he’s got the most incredible gas tank. He just goes and goes and goes. If he’s able to get attached, Sean’s in a lot of trouble. So it’s a very interesting fight for me as a fan and as a coach.”

Kavanagh followed up his thoughts on the matchup by giving his prediction for the fight, leaning toward the belt staying in O’Malley’s possession thanks to his lethal striking.

“If you were to put a gun to my head for a prediction, I do think Sean will catch him. He’s such a sharp shooter. He’s got fantastic striking and I could see him landing some of those big stray shots. He has a win over Merab’s teammate Aljamain Sterling so I’m sure that Aljamain is helping out Merab a lot in the preparation for this but Sean is on a real run at the moment and I could just see him getting that finish.”

Continue Reading Conor McGregor’s Coach Predicts Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili: ‘Going To Be In A Lot Of Trouble…’ at MMA News.

Noche UFC 306: Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili Ceremonial Weigh-In Live Stream

Noche UFC 306 takes place on Saturday night, and MMA News is here to bring you the final faceoffs from the ceremonial weigh-ins! The upcoming pay-per-view event at the Sphere in Las Vegas provides a chance for UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley to further enhance his legacy on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage. After unseating Aljamain […]

Continue Reading Noche UFC 306: Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili Ceremonial Weigh-In Live Stream at MMA News.

Noche UFC 306 takes place on Saturday night, and MMA News is here to bring you the final faceoffs from the ceremonial weigh-ins!

The upcoming pay-per-view event at the Sphere in Las Vegas provides a chance for UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley to further enhance his legacy on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.

After unseating Aljamain Sterling in August 2023 and withstanding a challenge from Marlon Vera in Miami this past March, “Sugar” is next tasked with stalling the championship ambitions of Merab Dvalishvili to continue his reign atop the 135-pound mountain.

The celebration of Mexican Independence Day will also see the nation’s own champion in action, with Alexa Grasso set to defend her flyweight gold in a trilogy contest opposite Valentina Shevchenko.

Elsewhere on the UFC 306 card, the surging Diego Lopes will look to ascend into the top five in a rearranged showdown with Brian Ortega, while Mexican prospects Ronaldo Rodriguez and Daniel Zellhuber also have the chance to make statements on a major stage.

Ahead of the event, all 20 fighters successfully made weight. With that, every fight has remained intact, and all that remains on Friday night is for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC 306 ceremonial weigh-ins!

Check out a live stream via the official UFC YouTube channel below, commencing at 10 p.m. ET.

Noche UFC 306 Ceremonial Weigh-In Live Stream

Continue Reading Noche UFC 306: Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili Ceremonial Weigh-In Live Stream at MMA News.

Jorge Masvidal Gives Stamp Of Approval For Noche UFC 306 Card: ‘Some Future Champions…’

Jorge Masvidal appears to be buzzing with excitement over the Noche UFC 306 card. The $2.3 billion, one-of-a-kind venue, the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, will come alive as Noche UFC 306 takes center stage this Saturday in celebration of Mexican Independence Day. UFC CEO Dana White has boldly hailed the upcoming pay-per-view as “the […]

Continue Reading Jorge Masvidal Gives Stamp Of Approval For Noche UFC 306 Card: ‘Some Future Champions…’ at MMA News.

Jorge Masvidal appears to be buzzing with excitement over the Noche UFC 306 card.

The $2.3 billion, one-of-a-kind venue, the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, will come alive as Noche UFC 306 takes center stage this Saturday in celebration of Mexican Independence Day. UFC CEO Dana White has boldly hailed the upcoming pay-per-view as “the greatest live sporting event of all time,” and the promotion is sparing no expense to ensure it delivers on its monumental hype.

The fight card will be headlined by UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley, who will make his second title defense against Merab Dvalishvili. Meanwhile, the co-main event will showcase the third, and likely final, meeting between UFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko. Alongside these high-profile bouts, the rest of the lineup is filled with fighters of Mexican descent.

According to White, the UFC has funneled more than $20 million into the event, with a vision of transforming it into an extraordinary extravaganza by utilizing the Sphere’s 16K wraparound LED screens and immersive auditory experience. The MMA promotion plans to showcase six 90-second vignettes between fights, weaving together a cinematic narrative that celebrates the significant role of Mexicans in combat sports. To further elevate the spectacle, each fight will unfold in what the UFC top brass refers to as “different worlds,” projected across the dome-shaped screen.

Masvidal believes that Noche UFC 306 will deliver a groundbreaking experience, elevated by an electrifying lineup of fights set to captivate the fans…

Masvidal Believes Noche UFC 306 Will Propel Rising Fighters Toward Title Contention

During a recent interview with MMA journalist Kevin Iole, “Gamebred” radiated excitement for Noche UFC 306 and the unparalleled venue experience the event is set to deliver with its top-tier production quality.

The former BMF champion highlighted the Mexican-heavy fight card, confident it will serve as a launchpad for several rising stars to emerge as future title contenders.

“I don’t know if it’ll [the venue] impact the way they fight so much,” Masvidal said. “It’s going to be an experience, though, because I’ve been in there [the Sphere] for a 3D show, and it was amazing. It was mind-blowing—the graphics, the stuff—but obviously, they’re not doing that now. But I still think they’ll play a lot of the graphics on their projectors and stuff, so it’s going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I really wish I could have made it to this event. The card is stacked from top to bottom with a lot of up-and-coming talent. It’s going to be f**king amazing, maybe even some future world champions on this card right here. So I think it’s a great, great card, man.”

Masvidal eagerly voiced his anticipation for the O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili showdown, noting that both fighters are perfectly balanced, thanks to their diverse and well-rounded skill sets.

“The main event is one that I’ll be watching closely, brother. I’ll be watching the main event 100%. I’m a big fan of both of them. I love Merab’s style—just coming forward, does not give a f**k, does not know how to get tired. This guy just has an unbelievable gas tank, is pretty good at wrestling, and now he’s mixing it up better, where he’s throwing punches and getting right to it. But Sean is a sniper—one shot, one kill type of guy. Great athlete with great distance, great timing, and the longer arms, so it’s going to be a battle. I think whoever can keep it more real is obviously going to win, but it’s going to be a battle no matter what. I think it’s going to end up being a really good fight, or maybe I can see Sean maybe catching him early too—you never know.”

Continue Reading Jorge Masvidal Gives Stamp Of Approval For Noche UFC 306 Card: ‘Some Future Champions…’ at MMA News.

Sean O’Malley Baffled By Merab Dvalishvili’s Confidence: ‘He’s Sloppy, He’s Slow…’

UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley doesn’t know where upcoming opponent Merab Dvalishvili is getting his self-belief from. O’Malley is just days away from his second defense of the 135-pound title. And just over a year on from hi…

UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley doesn’t know where upcoming opponent Merab Dvalishvili is getting his self-belief from. O’Malley is just days away from his second defense of the 135-pound title. And just over a year on from his crowning at the expense of the previously long-reigning Aljamain Sterling, “Sugar” is tasked with dispatching of “Funk […]

Continue Reading Sean O’Malley Baffled By Merab Dvalishvili’s Confidence: ‘He’s Sloppy, He’s Slow…’ at MMA News.