Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley rematch is ‘very likely’ as Team Khabib fighter left in limbo
Former champion Sean O'Malley might snatch a title shot from Umar Nurmagomedov to fight newly crowned Merab Dvalishvili in a rematch.
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Sean O'Malley plans to fight Merab Dvalishvili before Umar Nurmagomedov (via Imago)
Merab Dvalishvili comfortably defeated Sean O’Malley at UFC 306. Dvalishvili won the fight via unanimous decision with the help of his incredible grappling. However, O’Malley wasn’t satisfied with the result and was gunning for a rematch. New updates have supported this narrative, but it’s definitely not good news for top contender Umar Nurmagomedov.
At UFC 306, O’Malley appeared flat and was outclassed by Merab Dvalishvili on the ground. He still argued for a rematch, claiming the judges robbed him of victory. The Georgian fighter also entertained a rematch as well. In a recent interview, O’Malley’s coach, Tim Welch, discussed the possibility of a rematch happening soon.
I think it’s very likely. We fix a couple things in that fight and it’s completely different especially if we get Sean to a hundred percent where he can go out there and let loose.
Tim Welch via Submission Radio
Dvalishvili also wants the rematch and has frequently talked about fighting Sean O’Malley instead of Umar Nurmagomedov. Previously, the Georgian fighter pointed out why he didn’t value Nurmagomedov as a title contender. Recently, the fighter had a meltdown when fans accused him of ducking the Dagestani. Nurmagomedov. On the other hand, the ‘Young Eagle’ is still eager to fight anybody before Ramadan.
??Tim Welch said that rematch between Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili ‘is very likely to happen’.
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) October 30, 2024
? @SubmissionRadio ▫️ pic.twitter.com/6bV0eP6Seu
Umar Nurmagomedov doesn’t respect Sean O’Malley and has criticized him for his lackluster performance at UFC 308. According to the member of Team Khabib, Dvalishvili is scared of him and wants to take the easy fight against O’Malley. On the flip side, O’Malley’s team is confident and has already talked about ambitious future plans.
Sean O’Malley’s coach talks about moving up to challenge the featherweight champion
Irrespective of his last performance, Sean O’Malley is definitely one of the biggest draws in the UFC. Besides his self-marketing abilities, ‘Suga’ also has incredible striking and knockout power, similar to Ilia Topuria. Both superstars have already participated in heated social media exchanges, which is evidence of their rivalry.
‘Suga’ had considered defending his belt and moving up to the featherweight division to fight the ‘El Matador.’ However, his plans got crushed with his latest loss, but that hasn’t diminished the plan altogether. His coach, Tim Welch, still believes that the Topuria fight is still on the table.
You make one mistake with Ilia Topuria, you’re gonna be lights out…That’s a scary fight but I do believe that Sean with his range and with his speed and with his overall skill set, he could give Ilia problems.
Tim Welch via Submission Radio
Unlike O’Malley, Topuria won his first title defense against a tough challenger like Max Holloway. The Georgian-Spaniard made history by becoming the first person to knock out the ‘Blessed.’ This has lifted Topuria into superstar status, and ‘El Matador’ has no intentions of losing it anytime soon.
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Ameetosh Dash
(865 Articles Published)