UFC bantamweight contender Brady Hiestand has explored the reasons behind the delay in scheduling the Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili fight, asserting that this highly anticipated clash is inevitable.
After securing a dominant unanimous decision win in his rematch against Marlon Vera at UFC 299 this past March, O’Malley initially put forward a champion vs. champion showdown with UFC featherweight kingpin Ilia Topuria. However, the fans appeared to dismiss this proposal, leading “Sugar” to redirect his focus toward a matchup with Dvalishvili.
The Georgian is a logical opponent for the reigning UFC bantamweight champion. “The Machine” boasts an impressive 10-fight win streak and holds the #1 spot in the divisional rankings, firmly establishing himself as a frontrunner for a title opportunity.
Initially opting to remain on the sidelines as his close friend Aljamain Sterling ruled the bantamweight division, the Georgian has shifted his approach. With Sterling’s move to featherweight, Dvalishvili is now actively seeking a fight with O’Malley. He’s even using humorous skits on social media to encourage his prospective opponent to sign the contract.
Rumors swirled that O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili could headline UFC 306 on September 14 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, the UFC has yet to officially confirm the matchup for the event.
Hiestand, Dvalishvili’s former training partner, opines that “Sugar” appears to be postponing the fight to allow for additional preparation…
Heistand Questions O’Malley’s Apprehension Toward Dvalishvili
During a recent interview with InsideFighting, Heistand confidently asserted that the O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili bout is destined to take place.
“It’s for sure gonna happen,” Heistand said. “From them [UFC], not making that fight is Merab becoming the superstar he is and being so funny with everything; now they don’t need O’Malley. I mean, Merab’s the star, too, so making that fight just makes sense. And I think Merab’s going to get that fight; it just depends on when they set it up.”
“Bam Bam” further suggested that O’Malley is hesitant about fighting Dvalishvili and is adamant about leaving no stone unturned in his preparation.
“I think O’Malley is just not ready to fight. I don’t know because I mean, why else haven’t they fought anytime soon? I think O’Malley’s maybe a little scared. I think Merab f**ks him up, honestly.”