Sean O’Malley seems to have a strategic approach in mind for his potential matchup against Merab Dvalishvili in his next UFC title defense.
Following his decision victory over Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC 299, O’Malley not only secured his first successful defense of the UFC bantamweight title but also avenged his previous loss to Vera in 2020.
The signs are all pointing towards Dvalishvili, currently ranked #1, as the next challenger for O’Malley. Recently, the UFC bantamweight champion shared a humorous clip depicting his preparation to handle Dvalishvili’s formidable pressure.
You can run … but you can't hide. 🦾 #sixyearsofcallouts pic.twitter.com/e35VVLZLD0
— Merab “The Machine” Dvalishvili (@MerabDvalishvil) March 29, 2024
But the comedy isn’t one-sided; Dvalishvili has been active on social media with his own antics as he campaigns for his inaugural shot at UFC gold.
The 33-year-old Georgian could have contended for the bantamweight belt earlier if his teammate Aljamain Sterling hadn’t held the title previously. With Sterling poised for his featherweight debut at UFC 300, Dvalishvili now has the opportunity to avenge his friend’s loss to O’Malley should the matchup materialize.
While the UFC hasn’t finalized any plans for O’Malley’s next title defense, it’s likely they’ll want to capitalize on his rising stardom and get him back into action sooner rather than later.
