UFC star Sean O’Malley has issued a warning to former rival Merab Dvalishvili ahead of his UFC 323 rematch against Petr Yan.
In the main event of UFC 323 in December, Merab Dvalishvili will defend his UFC bantamweight championship against Petr Yan. It will serve as a rematch following their first meeting a few years back, which ‘The Machine’ won to put himself in line for a shot at the belt. If Merab wins, it will take him to 4-0 in 2025, cementing his position as Fighter of the Year beyond a shadow of a doubt.
RELATED: Popular UFC analyst dismisses Petr Yan’s chances against Merab Dvalishvili in rematch
While many believe Dvalishvili will be able to get the job done, some are concerned about him burning out given how active he’s been throughout the course of the year. Either way, though, it’s expected to be a pretty fascinating encounter between two of the best bantamweights on the planet.
In a recent podcast, Dvalishvili’s former foe Sean O’Malley issued a warning regarding Merab’s improved striking.
O’Malley’s view on Dvalishvili/Yan 2
“Could that be his downfall? He’s way more confident in his hands, and his hands have improved a lot,” O’Malley said of Dvalishvili on his YouTube channel. “He actually cracked me a few times in that second fight. It’s just so hard to fight someone when you have to respect their wrestling so much, and then they start throwing hands. He’s doing a really good job of mixing it up.
“Could that be the downfall for him vs. Petr? He gets a little bit confident in those hands, Petr’s counters – I rewatched me vs. Petr a couple of days ago, and the couple times I would sit in there with the one-two, and he would counter so f*cking hard and fast. If Merab does decide ‘I do want to trade with him a little bit,’ that could be his downfall.”
Quotes via MMA Junkie