‘Too Much Social Media’ – Belal Muhammad Changes His Mind On Noche UFC 306 Main Event Pick

Belal Muhammad recently had a change of heart regarding his pick for the Noche UFC 306 main event. O’Malley is poised to put his UFC bantamweight title on the line against Dvalishvili in the headlining bout of one of the year’s most anticipated pay-per-view events, set to take place at the Sphere in Las Vegas, […]

Continue Reading ‘Too Much Social Media’ – Belal Muhammad Changes His Mind On Noche UFC 306 Main Event Pick at MMA News.

Belal Muhammad recently had a change of heart regarding his pick for the Noche UFC 306 main event.

O’Malley is poised to put his UFC bantamweight title on the line against Dvalishvili in the headlining bout of one of the year’s most anticipated pay-per-view events, set to take place at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, this Saturday.

“Suga” enters this fight fresh off his dominant first title defense, where he redeemed his only UFC loss by decisively defeating former rival Marlon Vera at UFC 299 this past March. O’Malley captured the 135-pound crown with a second-round TKO victory over Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292 in August 2023.

Meanwhile, Dvalishvili rides an impressive 10-fight win streak, boasting wins over former champions such as Petr Yan and Jose Aldo. “The Machine” had been campaigning for a title shot for some time, and his wish was finally granted after a commanding victory over former two-division titleholder Henry Cejudo at UFC 298 this past February.

Initially, the defending champion was labeled as the underdog against Dvalishvili, but as fight week unfolded, the tides shifted, and O’Malley emerged as the betting favorite for various reasons.

Likewise, “Remember the Name” has also experienced a shift in perspective, now leaning towards a different pick for the upcoming showdown…

Muhammad Revises His Pick for O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili Showdown

During a recent interview with MMA legend Demetrious Johnson, Muhammad weighed in on the O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili title fight. The newly crowned UFC welterweight champion admitted that just a month ago, he believed “The Machine” had what it took to dethrone O’Malley.

However, after some reflection, he’s now leaning towards “Suga”, confident that O’Malley’s precise, well-timed striking will be enough to counter Dvalishvili’s relentless wrestling and secure his title defense.

“If you’d have asked me maybe a month ago, I would say Merab’s gonna wrestle, and Merab is on another level,” Muhammad said. “Especially with his last fight, beating Cejudo the way he did, but I’ve swayed—I’m picking O’Malley in this fight. I think he’s a sharpshooter; he’s so good at moving laterally. Merab gets hit a lot in a lot of his fights, and he’s been rocked a lot. He’s a ‘Machine’, so he’ll walk through those punches, but I just think that O’Malley hits differently than anybody he’s fought.”

“He has so much confidence after knocking out Aljo, who I think has better striking than Merab. Merab is very wild when he runs in, and even with his takedowns, he’ll sacrifice defense just to shoot in and grab a hold of you. Once he grabs a hold of you, it’s gonna be a long night, but I think that O’Malley has been training for him. He knows how to do that back step. I think I see Merab walking into something.”

“Remember the Name” expressed concerns that Dvalishvili seems to be prioritizing social media promotion over his actual training, implying that he may have lost the fire to win the title. Muhammad also criticized “The Machine” for his recent antics, specifically calling out his decision to publicize suffering a cut during training.

“Merab has just been posting. I think he’s been doing too much social media, thinking about promoting and being a character instead of training hard for the fight. You’re getting stitches, you’re showing you’re getting stitches, then you’re taking them out with scissors, then you’re drinking in Mexico, and you’re showing all of this stuff that does not need to be documented. All of this stuff does not need to be posted. But I think now he’s in that social media mindset where it’s not about the hunger anymore. It’s not, ‘This is my first time getting this title shot; it took me this long to get here; I can’t let the opportunity pass me up.’ It’s, ‘Let me show the UFC that I can be sold. I can sell myself. I can do this,’ and you’re thinking about other stuff instead of the goal, which is to win the fight.”

Continue Reading ‘Too Much Social Media’ – Belal Muhammad Changes His Mind On Noche UFC 306 Main Event Pick at MMA News.

UFC Lightweight Questions Interest In Grasso vs Shevchenko At UFC 306, Says He ‘Doesn’t Even Care’

Renato Moicano recently cast doubt on fans’ enthusiasm for the trilogy title fight between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko at Noche UFC 306. “Bullet” is slated to meet flyweight champion Grasso in the Octagon for their third—and possibly final—showdown in the co-main event of this highly anticipated pay-per-view, set to unfold this weekend inside the […]

Continue Reading UFC Lightweight Questions Interest In Grasso vs Shevchenko At UFC 306, Says He ‘Doesn’t Even Care’ at MMA News.

Renato Moicano recently cast doubt on fans’ enthusiasm for the trilogy title fight between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko at Noche UFC 306.

“Bullet” is slated to meet flyweight champion Grasso in the Octagon for their third—and possibly final—showdown in the co-main event of this highly anticipated pay-per-view, set to unfold this weekend inside the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The two fighters first clashed at UFC 285 in March 2023, where Shevchenko lost her 125-pound title to Grasso via a fourth-round rear-naked choke in what had been a razor-close contest. Six months later, they squared off again at the first edition of Noche UFC, but the rematch ended in controversy when one judge scored the bout 47-47, resulting in a split draw that allowed Grasso to retain her flyweight crown.

Following their rematch, Grasso and Shevchenko took on roles as opposing coaches for the 32nd season of “The Ultimate Fighter” earlier this year. However, contenders like Manon Fiorot have since questioned the rationale behind booking a trilogy fight.

Now, “Money” echoes similar sentiments, expressing his lack of interest and raising doubts about the necessity of the upcoming showdown…

Moicano Equates Grasso vs. Shevchenko Trilogy with Moreno vs. Figueiredo 3

During a recent episode of Show Me The Money, Moicano delved into the Grasso vs. Shevchenko trilogy, offering his prediction for the upcoming clash alongside co-host Matthew Tanner. The UFC lightweight veteran expressed skepticism about whether the fight has genuinely sparked fan excitement, even admitting he has little interest in watching the bout himself.

“I don’t even care about this fight, to be honest with you,” Moicano said. “Do you want to watch that [fight]?”

Tanner then reminded Moicano of the storyline from the previous two encounters between Grasso and the former flyweight champion, highlighting how their rematch was overshadowed by a controversial scorecard. He also pointed out the age factor between the pair.

“Money” ultimately backed Grasso as the likely victor but drew parallels to the unpredictable nature of the Brandon Moreno vs. Deiveson Figueiredo trilogy.

“[I will pick] Alexa Grasso just because you say all that stuff, brother. I’m not falling for it. I would not put that on a parlay because, in the first fight, Valentina was winning and then got caught by the choke, and in the second one, Valentina should have won, but the judges messed up. Who knows what’s going to happen in the third one? This is like Moreno and Figueiredo—you never know, man.”

Continue Reading UFC Lightweight Questions Interest In Grasso vs Shevchenko At UFC 306, Says He ‘Doesn’t Even Care’ at MMA News.

Noche UFC 306 Rising Star Details 3-Year Plan To UFC Title Shot

Daniel Zellhuber recently mapped out an ambitious three-year plan charting his course toward a UFC title shot. Zellhuber is gearing up to take on Esteban Ribovics in a lightweight clash on the main card of Noche UFC 306, set to go down this Saturday inside the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. “Golden Boy” earned his […]

Continue Reading Noche UFC 306 Rising Star Details 3-Year Plan To UFC Title Shot at MMA News.

Daniel Zellhuber recently mapped out an ambitious three-year plan charting his course toward a UFC title shot.

Zellhuber is gearing up to take on Esteban Ribovics in a lightweight clash on the main card of Noche UFC 306, set to go down this Saturday inside the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Golden Boy” earned his spot in the UFC with a commanding unanimous decision victory over Lucas Almeida on Dana White’s Contender Series in September 2021. However, his promotional debut a year later didn’t unfold as planned, as he suffered the sole defeat of his professional career at the hands of Trey Ogden.

Despite this setback, the 25-year-old Mexican rebounded impressively, stringing together a three-fight win streak. Most recently, Zellhuber secured a decisive victory over Francisco Prado at UFC Fight Night in Mexico this past February.

Noche UFC 306 offers Zellhuber a prime opportunity to steal the spotlight as he aims to ascend the ranks of the highly competitive lightweight division, with his sights set on securing a title shot in the near future…

Zellhuber Sets Sights On Veterans To Break Into Lightweight Rankings

During a recent interview on Verse Us with Eric Nicksick, “Golden Boy” shared his aspirations for the future, emphasizing that a potential victory over Ribovics at Noche UFC 306 could serve as the launch pad for his rapidly rising career.

“I always have a plan with the team where I wanted to take my time,” Zellhuber said. “But again, now that I’m more confident in my skill set and more comfortable fighting and, you know, doing all these things, growing as an athlete, I feel that this fight is my way to put the entire 155-pound division on notice. I want to win this fight, and after that, I want a former top 15 opponent, like somebody who was already in the rankings.”

Zellhuber further expressed his desire to face seasoned divisional veterans like Michael Johnson or Bobby Green as his pathway to breaking into the rankings. Afterward, the DWCS graduate aims to take on highly ranked contenders by 2026, with the ultimate goal of challenging for the lightweight title in 2027.

“I have Michael Johnson on my mind, even Bobby Green. It’s funny because I talk with Chase Hooper on Instagram. I texted him like, ‘Hey, you want to fight?’ and he answered me. Then it’s funny because we ended up being kind of like friends. I was trying to talk bullsh*t, but it didn’t work. I want one of those guys who was already there but is recently coming out [of rankings]. Then, by the end of next year, I want to fight a top 15 opponent, and start 2026 with a top 10, close the year with a top five, and then in 2027, a championship fight. I like to have everything planned. I feel that’s also why I’m being successful in my career because I don’t like to do things just like, ‘Yeah, let’s do this.’”

“Golden Boy” heads into his bout with Ribovics as the betting favorite, likely owing to his significant height and reach advantage. However, “El Gringo” is no easy matchup—he brings a lethal combination of knockout power and grappling skills, making this showdown a thrilling contest that promises to keep fans on the edge of their seats.

Continue Reading Noche UFC 306 Rising Star Details 3-Year Plan To UFC Title Shot at MMA News.

Dan Hooker: ‘Master Of Mental Warfare’ O’Malley Getting Under Dvalishvili’s Skin

Dan Hooker recently noted that Sean O’Malley is expertly playing mind games with Merab Dvalishvili in the build-up to their Noche UFC 306 clash. “Sugar” is slated for his second UFC bantamweight title defense, where he’ll square off against Dvalishvili in the headlining bout of the highly anticipated pay-per-view event, set for this Saturday at […]

Continue Reading Dan Hooker: ‘Master Of Mental Warfare’ O’Malley Getting Under Dvalishvili’s Skin at MMA News.

Dan Hooker recently noted that Sean O’Malley is expertly playing mind games with Merab Dvalishvili in the build-up to their Noche UFC 306 clash.

“Sugar” is slated for his second UFC bantamweight title defense, where he’ll square off against Dvalishvili in the headlining bout of the highly anticipated pay-per-view event, set for this Saturday at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.

O’Malley claimed the 135-pound title with a knockout victory over Dvalishvili’s teammate and close ally, Aljamain Sterling, at UFC 292 in August 2023. He went on to defend his belt in dazzling style against Marlon Vera at UFC 299 this past March, putting on a striking masterclass for the full 25 minutes to avenge the lone blemish on his UFC record.

The 29-year-old Montana native has consistently torn through his competition with his extraordinary fighting style, as evidenced by the nine performance bonuses he’s racked up in just 12 Octagon appearances. In addition to his high-caliber skill set, O’Malley is equally adept at using his charisma and quick wit to engage in verbal sparring outside the cage.

“The Hangman” believes it’s O’Malley’s silver tongue that truly sets him apart, as he skillfully uses his sharp words to rattle his opponents, with Dvalishvili now falling into the same trap…

Hooker Predicts Dvalishvili Could Fall To O’Malley Just Like Sterling

During a recent interview with mainevent, Hooker weighed in on the upcoming O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili title fight. “The Hangman” praised the reigning champion’s ability to expertly use his reach advantage to dominate with his striking.

Drawing comparisons between “The Machine” and Sterling’s fighting styles, Hooker noted that it would be fascinating to see how Dvalishvili approaches O’Malley differently than his teammate did.

“He is incredible at controlling that distance, a sniper, an absolute sniper from range, and that’s the big thing I see in this fight—how will Merab cover that range? Because it’s a very similar style, a very similar opponent to Sean’s last one, Aljamain Sterling. Sterling and Merab have two very similar styles of wrestling; they shoot, and they’re really looking to take you down and put you on your back.”

Hooker emphasized “Sugar’s” knack for skillfully employing trash talk to unnerve his opponents in the build-up to a fight. He pointed out that this tactic worked perfectly against Sterling, causing him to make crucial mistakes that led to his defeat. The 34-year-old Auckland native also believes O’Malley is successfully getting inside Dvalishvili’s head, which could spell trouble for the Georgian fighter.

“‘Sugar’ Sean is a master at mental warfare. He was able to, you know, at the press conference, at the weigh-in, get into Aljamain Sterling’s head. So Aljamain, rather than being patient, taking his time, and setting up to cover that distance, really rushed it. He panicked and rushed. I can already sense that ‘Sugar’ is getting under Merab’s skin, and we still have so much time to go. We still have the weigh-in, the press conference, and media day. There’s still a lot of time to cover and a lot of time for ‘Sugar’ Sean to use that mental warfare.”

Continue Reading Dan Hooker: ‘Master Of Mental Warfare’ O’Malley Getting Under Dvalishvili’s Skin at MMA News.

Aljamain Sterling Details Altercation With Sean O’Malley’s ‘A**hole’ Friends Ahead Of UFC 306

Aljamain Sterling recently opened up about the events that led to the heated altercation with Sean O’Malley’s entourage before Noche UFC 306. Sterling’s close friend and training partner, Merab Dvalishvili, avenged O’Malley with a unanimous decision victory to capture the UFC bantamweight title last Saturday at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the lead-up […]

Continue Reading Aljamain Sterling Details Altercation With Sean O’Malley’s ‘A**hole’ Friends Ahead Of UFC 306 at MMA News.

Aljamain Sterling recently opened up about the events that led to the heated altercation with Sean O’Malley’s entourage before Noche UFC 306.

Sterling’s close friend and training partner, Merab Dvalishvili, avenged O’Malley with a unanimous decision victory to capture the UFC bantamweight title last Saturday at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In the lead-up to the fight, tensions between the opponents remained mostly verbal, with nothing crossing into personal or physical territory. However, things escalated during the final face-offs last Friday. Sterling and Dvalishvili found themselves in a fiery confrontation with several rowdy “Suga” fans outside the arena while “The Machine” was taking photos with his supporters.

The former UFC bantamweight champion took to X to clarify that the individuals taunting them were not just random fans but actually two of O’Malley’s close friends, including his podcast producer, Ricky Schmitt.

Sterling Shares His Reason For Not Retaliating Against O’Malley’s Friends

During a recent appearance on SiriusXM’s MMA Today, “Funk Master” opened up about the scuffle with O’Malley’s friends outside the Sphere. Sterling explained that both he and Dvalishvili chose not to engage with the naysayers, as they didn’t want to jeopardize the fight they had worked so hard to prepare for by getting caught up in unnecessary drama.

“When Merab went on the bus after the Friday evening face-off, we saw a whole bunch of people waving him down, so he gets off the bus to go over,” Sterling said. “Now, his minions Sch*tty and the other skinny twig were on the other side. I see these guys screaming and yelling, coming all the way back over to be a*holes. I was like, alright guys, the presser’s done, and now you’re in our personal space. I told him, ‘Dude, you’re really close now, and you’re being straight-up disrespectful. I’m right here now, so if you wanna sit behind this, you’re not very far away from me.’”

Sterling went on to explain that people have become far too bold in mocking and antagonizing others, especially in public. He hinted that the situation would have played out very differently if there hadn’t been cameras around to capture the scene.

“People have gotten way too comfortable with just being complete aholes and thinking that there’s nothing wrong with them being aholes. We’re not in the arena where you can chirp and pay up money, now we’re in our personal space, we’re working and being professional with what we’re trying to do, and you’re literally walking over and being a complete prick. There’s nothing cool about that whatsoever.”

Sterling was set to face Movsar Evloev in a crucial featherweight clash at UFC 308 on October 5, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. However, earlier this week, “Funk Master” revealed that he was unfortunately forced to pull out of the bout due to an elbow injury.

Continue Reading Aljamain Sterling Details Altercation With Sean O’Malley’s ‘A**hole’ Friends Ahead Of UFC 306 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, […]

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

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.