UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has changed his mind about his next opponent due to fan pressure, and will fight Merab Dvalishvili after his bout with Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC 299, despite initially wanting to fight featherweight champion Ilia Topuria.
Sean O’Malley‘s heard the fans. They’re all chanting one name, ‘Merab Dvalishvili.’
This past weekend, Dvalishvili made it ten wins on the trot. He claimed a unanimous decision victory over Henry Cejudo at UFC 298 in Anaheim. Post-match, Dvalishvili threw down the gauntlet to O’Malley. But O’Malley, the reigning UFC bantamweight champ, didn’t bite.
He’d set his sights on Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC 299. After that, he was eyeing a bout with the newly minted featherweight champ, Ilia Topuria.
But, the fans had other ideas.
O’Malley’s had a change of heart. “At first, I was all for Ilia,” he confessed on his YouTube channel. “I wanted that fight. Thought it’d get the fans pumped. But the fans were like, ‘You’re ducking Merab! Merab’s next!’ So, Merab it is.”
There’s already a bit of a backstory to this potential O’Malley-Dvalishvili showdown.
O’Malley clinched the 135-pound title by taking down Dvalishvili’s buddy and sparring partner, Aljamain Sterling, at UFC 292. But before that, Dvalishvili had swiped O’Malley’s jacket during a faceoff with Sterling.
O’Malley had the last laugh though. He KO’d Sterling to win the belt. He’s sure he’ll do the same to Dvalishvili.
“I’m telling ya, I’ll knock Merab out,” O’Malley declared. “I rewatched Henry vs. Aljo. I told you guys, I’m knocking Aljo out. You all said, ‘No way. Aljo’s gonna take you down!’ Well, here we go again. I’ve got to get past Chito, but when I fight Merab, I’m knocking him out. He’s sloppy. I’m accurate. I’m fast. I’m sharp. I’m telling ya, I’ll put Merab’s lights out. Worse than Aljo. Aljo was a TKO. Merab, I’m putting to sleep.”
Just because he’s shifted focus, doesn’t mean O’Malley’s given up on the Topuria fight. That’s just been put on the back burner. Dvalishvili’s earned his shot, not just with his fights, but with his antics.
“The Ilia fight could happen,” O’Malley admitted. “If he keeps doing his thing, and I keep doing mine, that’s a big fight. I want to fight for the fans. I want the biggest fights. And Merab’s improved, not just in the ring, but on social. He’s building himself up, being himself, being goofy. So, that fight’s next.”
“Merab, I hope you’re at the weigh-ins as the backup fighter in case Chito doesn’t show. Like he didn’t show up to Anaheim because he’s scared. I’m taking Chito out, I’m taking Merab out, if Ilia’s still champ, I’ll take him out too.”
O’Malley’s set to defend his bantamweight title against Vera on March 9 at the Kaseya Center in Miami.