Sean O’Malley vows to UPSTAGE Umar Nurmagomedov for Merab Dvalishvili rematch on ONE condition

Sean O'Malley says he is ready to fight Merab Dvalishvili next if Umar Nurmagomedov does not get the title shot by March 2025.

Sean O’Malley vows to UPSTAGE Umar Nurmagomedov for Merab Dvalishvili rematch on ONE condition

Sean O'Malley talks Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (Image via Imago)

Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley was supposed to be taking his time off from fighting. After losing his title to Merab Dvalishvili, ‘Suga’ underwent surgery to fix his hips. However, O’Malley is eager to make a comeback and has issued an ultimatum to the champion Merab Dvalishvili and contender Umar Nurmagomedov.

Sean O’Malley has expressed confidence that Umar Nurmagomedov will defeat Merab Dvalishvili if they face off next. However, Dvalishvili questioned whether Nurmagomedov, despite his unbeaten record, has earned a title shot. He argued that the Dagestani had only defeated one top-15 opponent. With the ongoing uncertainty, O’Malley recently sent out a tweet on X. 

If unibrow and Merab don’t fight by the end of the year I’m fighting Merab in March. su*k my sac if you don’t like that.

Sean O’Malley via X
YouTube video

At UFC 306, Merab Dvalishvili claimed the bantamweight title after defeating Sean O’Malley by decision. For his first title defense, Dvalishvili seems more inclined to give fighters like Deiveson Figueiredo a shot first. ‘The Machine’ has indicated that he may delay a fight with Nurmagomedov. He also suggested the Dagestani star fight someone like Petr Yan.

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Nurmagomedov, on the other hand, seems ready and confident for the matchup. He even attended UFC 306 to witness the Georgian fighter win and has taken a subtle dig at Dvalishvili’s stance on “unfairness.” Although Dvalishvili has not definitively ruled out the fight, he remains cryptic about when or if he would agree to face Umar.

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Sean O’Malley says Renato Moicano vs. Paddy Pimblett is “the fight to make”

The injury will sideline O’Malley till March of next year. As such, he has focused on his podcast with coach Tim Welch. The duo recently discussed the rivalry between Renato Moicano and Paddy Pimblett. After Moicano’s dominant victory over Benoit Saint-Denis, Pimblett called him out on social media, sparking tensions between the fighters. 

Sean O'Malley on Renato Moicano vs Paddy Pimblett
Sean O’Malley on Renato Moicano vs Paddy Pimblett (Image via Imago)

Bantamweight star Sean O’Malley would love to see that fight. During his recent episode on the TimboSugarShow, O’Malley mentioned the potential showdown between the two lightweights as “the fight to make.” Tim Welch was pondering on a potential showdown between Moicano and Justin Gatheje. Meanwhile, ‘Suga’ had other plans for the #11 ranked lightweight. 

Renato (vs.) Paddy seems like the fight to make. That seems like they’re both fighting for that. That’s the fight to make at this point. That’s ballsy for Paddy… That’s a sick fight.

Sean O’Malley via YouTube
YouTube video
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Moicano is currently on a four-fight winning streak. He sees a bout with Pimblett as a serious opportunity for greater exposure, given Pimblett’s significant social media presence. The Brazilian has warned Pimblett not to accept a fight, threatening to cause harm if they ever face off in the octagon. If the UFC decides to put these two contenders inside the octagon, it will be interesting to see what happens next.