Merab Dvalishvili is expected to fight for the bantamweight title against the winner of the UFC 299 main event between Sean O’Malley and Marlon Vera, following his 10th straight victory after defeating Henry Cejudo at UFC 298.
Merab Dvalishvili is the guy to watch. He’s next in line for the bantamweight title. Two potential rivals are waiting in the wings.
Sean O’Malley’s one. He’s the new champ, thanks to a second-round knockout of Dvalishvili’s buddy, Aljamain Sterling, at UFC 292. The other? Marlon Vera. He’s a top contender in the division and the only guy who’s beaten O’Malley.
These two are set to clash at UFC 299 in Miami next Saturday. Dvalishvili, fresh off his 10th straight victory against Henry Cejudo at UFC 298, is expected to face the winner.
Dvalishvili’s next fight isn’t signed yet. But, Demetrious Johnson asked him how he’d fare against the UFC 299 headliners.
Dvalishvili sees O’Malley as a threat. He’s got good footwork, knockout power, a strong right hand, and good timing. He said on the MIGHTYcast, “Once he won on the Contender Series and I saw him in the UFC, I wanted to fight him. I want to challenge myself and I’m still looking that way.”
His strategy? Stay smart and patient. Keep striking and wait for the right moment to shoot. If O’Malley defends, he’ll let him go and then shoot again. He plans to wear him down and eventually take him down.
Dvalishvili is known as a top grappler in the bantamweight division. This could make him the perfect match for the more striking-minded O’Malley. O’Malley even thought about challenging featherweight champion Ilia Topuria if he beats Vera. But, he backtracked after getting backlash for avoiding a Dvalishvili fight.
If “Chito” beats O’Malley, it’s unlikely he’d push for a specific opponent. Dvalishvili might have to consider this matchup soon.
Dvalishvili thinks “Chito” is a strong fighter. He’s patient, slow but sharp. He’s got a lot of UFC experience and is dangerous with good kicks. But Dvalishvili hasn’t studied him much yet. He’s just focused on training hard and taking it one fight at a time.
If “Chito” wins, Dvalishvili will start studying him. But he’ll keep doing his thing. He’s not taking it personally. If he loses, he’ll just say, “God bless you, no problem. It’s a fight.”
Dvalishvili is eager to get back in the ring. He’s even willing to be a backup for the UFC 299 main event. He hopes the champ after next weekend is ready to fight him soon.
He said, “I want to be back as soon as possible. My last fight, even though I was prepared, I didn’t feel like I was in a fight. I feel like nothing happened and I’m just very hungry for a fight. I still want to compete, my body feels good.”
Usually, after weight cuts, he’s hungry and sore. But now, he feels like he missed it. He’s been at the gym, sparring, training. He loves it. He’s motivated. He doesn’t feel like he just won a fight. He’s hoping his next fight will be soon.