"Don't be surprised if Sean O'Malley takes me down" - Merab Dvalishvili predicts how potential title fight will go down 

Merab Dvalishvili isn't underestimating his next potential opponent, Sean O'Malley, despite seemingly holding an edge stylistically, with the champion mainly known for his striking. During a recent media scrum with multiple outlets, 'The Machine' addressed his wrestling prowess and a rumored championship bout with O'Malley.

While he's confident in his grappling skills, Dvalishvili displayed humility when asked if he considered himself the UFC's best wrestler. The Georgian told Sportskeeda MMA:

"Yeah, one of the good wrestlers, yes. But hey, don't be surprised if Sean O'Malley takes me down. It's MMA man, it's MMA. I'm humble and everything is possible here..."

Dvalishvili has his sights set on the bantamweight title currently held by 'Sugar'. This matchup gained traction after O'Malley's knockout victory over Dvalishvili's friend and training partner, Aljamain Sterling, at UFC 292.

Looking ahead to a potential clash, Dvalishvili outlined his strategy, adding:

"First, I'm going to wrestle a little bit and after[wards] I'm going to strike and knock him out standing."

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Sean O’Malley opens up on the hurdle delaying his fight with Merab Dvalishvili

UFC bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley is eager to defend his title against Merab Dvalishvili, but a logistical hurdle is delaying the fight.

O'Malley secured his first title defense with a dominant win over Marlon Vera at UFC 299. He quickly set his sights on Dvalishvili, a surging contender who's been calling him out on social media. While O'Malley initially expressed interest in facing Ilia Topuria in Spain, he pivoted to Dvalishvili due to the Georgian fighter's impressive recent form and growing popularity after beating Henry Cejudo.

On his podcast, The Timbo Sugar Show, O'Malley reiterated his desire to silence Dvalishvili this year. However, the champion revealed a complication - his refusal to fight outside the United States:

"I'm trying to get it booked ASAP. The only issue is, some of the next pay-per-views aren't in the country, and I'm not fighting out of the country. They have other people who have other places. But I'm ready to go, I'm f****** wanting to book a fight ASAP... God I just want to hit Merab with that knee, boom, flatline him."

Check out Sean O'Malley's comments on his potential fight with Merab Dvalishvalli in the video below:

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