Merab Dvalishvili torches 'disrespectful' Sean O'Malley coach after UFC 306

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17/09/2024 14:06

The UFC 306 main event between Sean O'Malley and Merab Dvalishvili got off to a bizarre start at the Sphere in Las Vegas last Saturday. Seconds into the title bout, Dvalishvili pointed at O'Malley's corner and yelling, clearly agitated by something. Referee Herb Dean called time and told Dvalishvili, "Merab, don't start this. Do not talk to him. That's my job." Dvalishvili was pointing at and talking to O'Malley's coach, Tim Welch.

O'Malley captured the 135-pound championship by defeating Dvalishvili's teammate Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292. "Suga" stopped Sterling in the first round but immediately before Sterling was put down by a right hand, Welch said, 'you've gotta go Aljo.' Dvalishvili didn't think it was appropriate then and didn't think it was at UFC 306 either.

Dvalishvili torched Welch following the event, calling the coach 'unprofessional' and 'disrespectful' in a social media post.

"Everyone is asking what happened at start of fight – I was trying to stay professional and focus on the fight only, not wanting to change the energy of the fight," Dvalishvili wrote on X. "I made no eye contact with O'Malleys team. BUT when the fight started I hear his team calling out to me – Merab.. trying to coach , provoke and distract me. I yelled back at them cut it out and coach your own guy. I remembered they pulled the same crap with Aljo. Not professional .. this is the way they want their Fighter to win. It's a shame how disrespectful they are and that they have zero sportsmanship!"

Everyone is asking what happened at start of fight - I was trying to stay professional and focus on the fight only, not wanting to change the energy of the fight. I made no eye contact with O'Malleys team. BUT when the fight started I hear his team calling out to me - Merab..…
— Merab "The Machine" Dvalishvili (@MerabDvalishvil) September 16, 2024

Welch gave his side of the situation in a video posted to his YouTube channel and revealed what he said that set Dvalishvili off.

"First round (he) comes out, and what I said to Merab was, 'Merab, you need to be patient.' And that's when he freaked out," Welch explained. "He started bucking himself around. I was like, 'Holy cow, I just said Merab, be patient.' He must've been anticipating that a little bit, but I really wasn't going out of my way to yell. But I did say that. I guess there is an excessive coaching (rule), but I told Herb Dean some of our callouts have Merab's name in it, and he said, 'Nope, nope, nope.' So, that ended."