If Merab Dvalishvili really plans to abandon his wrestling and strike with reigning bantamweight titleholder Sean O’Malley, then I’ll probably take out a second mortgage on my house and bet every last dime on “Suga.”
No disrespect to “The Machine,” but the champion is a prolific finisher with double-digit knockout wins. That includes his stunning, second-round stoppage over ex-champ Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292 last summer in Boston.
Merab’s primary training partner is Sterling.
“This is my dream fight and the perfect time to fight him,” Dvalishvili said on the “Believe You Me” podcast with hosts Anthony Smith and Michael Bisping. “What’s going to happen is now I’m going to show everybody my striking. Yeah, I have wrestling, but now I want to prove my striking. And I want to go punch his face because he thinks I’m going to wrestle him. No, I’m going to punch.”
Smith responded, “I find it hard to trust your words.” Bisping chimed in, “Merab, I think you’re being dishonest.”
Dvalishvili added, “In terms of style, I need to outwrestle him, maintain good cardio, close the gap, and engage in clinch fighting. While I acknowledge his striking skills, I have faith in myself. I hold high respect for all my opponents, particularly him. He holds the title, possesses confidence, a longer reach, extensive experience, knockout ability, and solid technique. Additionally, he has a skilled coach, but I must overcome his coach as well.”
Dvalishvili, 33, has three knockouts in 17 wins.
“The Machine” is expected to fight O’Malley at Noche UFC inside The Sphere in September.
