UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley is focused on his upcoming match against Chito Vera at UFC 299, despite Merab Dvalishvili‘s call for a future fight following his 10th consecutive win.
Sean O’Malley‘s got his eyes on the prize. But it ain’t Merab Dvalishvili. Not yet. He’s got a score to settle with Chito Vera at UFC 299.
Sure, he watched Dvalishvili’s win over Henry Cejudo at UFC 298. It was the Georgian’s 10th win in a row. And yes, Dvalishvili called him out. Right there, just a few feet away.
Watching fights live is a different beast, O’Malley reckons. He’d rather watch it on TV to get the full picture. His take on the fight? Decent.
Rumors were floating around. Henry was injured. He seemed a bit winded. But Merab? He looked good. “Decent little fight from a couple little dudes,” O’Malley quipped.
The fight was a rollercoaster. Dvalishvili dominated the last 10 minutes. He took down the 2008 Olympic wrestling champ multiple times. Pushed a relentless pace. Tested Cejudo’s stamina. When the dust settled, Dvalishvili was the clear winner.
UFC CEO Dana White doesn’t like to make fights post-event. But he confirmed it. Dvalishvili is the top contender in the bantamweight division.
That’s big news for Dvalishvili. O’Malley? Not so much. He’s got another challenge on his plate. March 9 in Miami.
“Three weeks, UFC 299, everything’s going so good,” he said. He needs to take down Chito before he starts thinking about who’s next.
O’Malley’s no stranger to the spotlight. He became the bantamweight champ after defeating Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292. Now, he’s headlining the pay-per-view card in Miami.
It’s the UFC’s first return to Miami since UFC 287 in April 2023. That night, Israel Adesanya took down Alex Pereira. It was a stunning finish. A sweet revenge for past defeats.
O’Malley noticed the parallels. He’s about to headline in Miami against the only fighter who’s ever beaten him.
“Israel Adesanya knocked out Alex Pereira in the rematch [in Miami]. Am I right?” O’Malley said. “Interesting.”