Sean O'Malley predicts 'putting Merab Dvalishvili's lights out early' at UFC 306

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22/08/2024 20:56

Sean O'Malley enters his second bantamweight title defense on Sept. 14 at the Sphere in Las Vegas dripping with confidence. "Suga" takes on top contender Merab Dvalishvili in the UFC 306 main event and O'Malley doesn't think they fight will last that long.

Dvalishvili has been the top contender in the division for some time but would not fight his training partner Aljamain Sterling, who held the belt until O'Malley dethroned him.

"He was the top guy in the UFC for a long time at bantamweight because Aljamain Sterling, his best friend, was the champion at the time and they were not going to fight," explained O'Malley to ESPN MMA. "Merab was the gatekeeper. He was beating the next best guy, beating the next best guy, beating the next best guy, wanted the title shot but didn't want to fight Aljo."

O'Malley defeated Sterling in the UFC 292 main event last year. He successfully defended the title against Marlon Vera to avenge a previous loss and it's now Dvalishvili's turn.

"It's stylistically a very different fight. I'm a striker. He's a wrestler. He said he's going to strike with me probably because he can't wrestle with me. I don't know why else he would say that," O'Malley said. "I don't think he's going to test my wrestling. I don't think he's going to be able to."

"I don't think Merab is going to be the one to test my wrestling to be honest. I truly believe that I'm going to put his lights out early," O'Malley continued. "It only takes one mistake."

"I find people's chins. I do. I'm going to find Merab's chin. He has a huge head, a huge nose. It would be hard - I could try to not hit him and still accidentally probably hit him. That's how huge his head is."