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FIGHT CLUB | Sep 12

Sean O’Malley vs Merab Dvalishvili: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

‘Suga’ and ‘The Machine’ Face off in a Highly Anticipated ‘Noche UFC’ Special Event at the Las Vegas Sphere

Sean O’Malley vs Merab Dvalishvili: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Sean O'Malley | Megan Briggs/Getty Images/AFP

‘Noche UFC’ Has Arrived 🔥

Can you imagine the scenes if O’Malley collects another highlight reel knockout?

Sean O’Malley isn’t far from becoming the biggest star in the UFC post-Conor McGregor era. But first, he must continue to win and do so emphatically. Next up for ‘Suga’ is a savage wrestler in Merab Dvalishvili, and his bantamweight gold will be up for grabs at ‘Noche UFC’ (Aka UFC 306) this weekend.

Saturday’s main event coincides with Mexican Independence Day weekend, and the UFC is fully primed to celebrate the heritage of Mexico and its fighters. But more imperatively, fans are receiving one of the best main events of the summer, when O’Malley and Merab trade leather in the octagon.

Per usual, I’m back to deliver ‘The good, the bad, and the ugly,’ of another UFC pay-per-view main event, so let’s get straight into it!

 

O’Malley vs. Merab: The Good

As mentioned, ‘Suga’ Sean O’Malley is on the brink of global superstardom. He legitimately possesses everything needed to become the biggest name in mixed martial arts. First and foremost, Dana White and the UFC want pay-per-view drivers, and ‘Suga’ ticks all of the boxes.

Firstly, you need to be able to fight and deliver memorable performances. Second, you need to sell a fight; third, you need to relate with an audience willing to pay, travel, and watch you fight every time; and lastly, you must have longevity. All of these facets match O’Malley, and when you look at pop culture in America right now, he’s the perfect match to become a relatable poster boy.

Can you imagine the scenes if O’Malley collects another highlight reel knockout? It’s a scenario the UFC will be praying for, and for fans of the sport, it will undoubtedly be the best outcome, whether you like him or not.

O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili: The Bad

Living up to expectations, spending millions of dollars on a one-off event at the Sphere isn’t just for show; it’s an investment the UFC is making, and one they’ll desperately need to be carried by O’Malley.

They’d love ‘Suga’ to be the face of the promotion for the next five to seven years, but ‘Noche UFC’ must deliver, especially since the company’s CEO, Dana White, has taken every opportunity to tell MMA fans in UFC news how amazing UFC 306 will be, despite the clear lack of superstar presence in the UFC Sphere fights outside of O’Malley.

While Dana told us Saturday’s card is a love letter to Mexican combat sports, who’s the PPV star? Sean O’Malley. There’s a reason why he’s an American in the main event of a Mexico-filled event. Still, Merab Dvalishvili, with a relentless offensive wrestling style, is capable of sh*tting all over the promotion’s plans, and should he maintain top control and defeat the champ via a unanimous decision with a grappling-heavy style as he has done on many occasions, it won’t just be a dampener on the first and only Sphere event. Still, it’ll lower the stock of ‘Suga’ significantly.

 

‘Suga’ vs. ‘The Machine’: The Ugly

We can talk about O’Malley all day; he’s the A-side in UFC 306’s main event as a reigning champion who’s one of the top-five biggest draws in professional MMA. However, what about Merab Dvalishvili?

UFC rumors have begun circulating that without victory over ‘Suga,’ he might not receive an extended contract in the future. That’s crazy, you say, and on paper, sure, Merab has won ten consecutive fights, and he’d likely battle his way back into title contention once again, even after a loss. He’s humorous, makes us laugh with his stupid skits, and he’s been dominant in one of the deepest divisions.

But, relations with the UFC, particularly with Dana White, have taken a hit. A few weeks back, Merab shared an image on social media that revealed a cut above his eye, and the boss wasn’t happy. Then, Merab went on to share a video of him removing his own stitches with scissors, thus angering Dana even further.

Dana White has publicly blasted Merab on multiple occasions. Still, the big boss also expressed displeasure with him when refusing to fight with his training partner and former division champ, Aljamain Sterling.

It’s clear as day that Merab is on ugly terms with the UFC, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the situation got even uglier should the challenger lose to O’Malley. White is known to dislike fighters with Merab’s style, which involves high pressure, a lot of wrestling, and little to no stoppage wins. When you couple this with his recent escapades, you have the makings of a top talent who the promotion will have no qualms about releasing him.

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