MMA Knockout

Sean O'Malley Rips Merab Dvalishvili, Discredits 'Black Belt Grappler' Trait

UFC bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley can't stand the hype surrounding Merab Dvalishvili.

Zain Bando

(via Zuffa LLC)
(via Zuffa LLC) /

UFC bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley said he is unimpressed by Merab Dvalishvili's grappling pedigree.

In an interview with Helen Yee posted Saturday ahead of UFC 306 on Sept. 14 at the Sphere in Las Vegas., O'Malley broke down his preparation for Dvalishvili and how he predicts the fight will play out.

Dvalishvili, a winner of 10 in a row, is a Sambo champion and a black belt in Judo. Although his background may seem impressive on a surface-type level, O'Malley said it won't impact him when they step in the Octagon as the event's headliner.

Sean O'Malley Predicts a KO Win

"I wouldn't consider Merab a black belt grappler, to be honest," O'Malley said. "Standing and striking with me – I mean, it might be a better way to victory than it would be trying to, you know, rush in, wrestle and grab my leg. Regardless, he's getting knocked out, whether he wants to strike, grapple, wrestle. Whatever he chooses to do, he's getting knocked out."

Dvalishvili getting knocked out may be easier said than done, as he has never been KO'ed in the UFC, nor his MMA career thus far.

The MMA community was up in arms early last week after Dvalishvili posted a picture to social media showcasing a cut over his eye, which UFC CEO Dana White was not fond of.

At press time, the main event is still proceeding as scheduled at the MSG Sphere in Las Vegas. It will feature 10 fights, with the vast majority of the card showcasing some of the sport's upcoming Mexican talent.

It will be a one-of-one event as the UFC plans to never replicate another event at the venue again, barring any gradual changes, making it one of the toughest tickets in sports.

The fight marks O'Malley's second successful title defense, as he exacted revenge against Marlon Vera at UFC 299 in March.

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Zain Bando
ZAIN BANDO

Zain Bando is a writer for MMA Knockout, part of the Sports Illustrated/Minute Media umbrella. He has covered combat sports since 2019 for notable outlets BJPenn.com and FanSided MMA. He also co-hosts a podcast called "The MMA Outsiders," part of the Empty The Bench Podcast Network, which airs Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. A Chicago suburban native, Bando has been enthralled with MMA since 2006 and has been fortunate to attend some of the most high-profile events in the sport's history, both as a fan and media member, including UFC 264, Bellator 297 and Kayla Harrison's PFL MMA debut. He is excited to take the next step in his combat sports writing journey and looks forward to continuing his following of the fight game for years to come. Bando can be reached via email at zainbando99@gmail.com or by social media @zainbando99