As UFC 306 approaches, the bantamweight title fight between Sean O'Malley and Merab Dvalishvili has generated significant hype. While O'Malley's flashy style has captivated fans, Dvalishvili's relentless grappling and wrestling prowess pose a serious threat to the champion's reign.
In a recent interview with Anatomy of a Fighter, Dvalishvili's coach, John Wood, expressed unwavering confidence in his fighter's ability to dethrone O'Malley. Wood highlighted Dvalishvili's unique blend of chaos and control, which he believes will be the key to victory.
“It’s control chaos, Merab got to where he’s at to fight Sean because of his chaos. So what we’ve been working on the last you know, four five years now is learning how to make that chaos more technical, make that chaos more controlled."
Wood praised Dvalishvili's coachability and dedication, emphasizing that his ability to learn and adapt will be crucial in the fight against O'Malley:
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"I believe that , you know, come sept 14, you’re going to see the new best guy in the world, you know, when Merab gets his hands raised for that. Because of the work that he puts in. Merab I didn't think it very at first when he got here, he was a madman... the fact that he is very coachable that's what's going to make the difference in this fight that's what you're going to see as a as a whole new Merab.”
Check out the coach's words on Merab Dvalishvili in the interview below (12:11):
Alexander Volkanovski predicts Sean O'Malley vs Merab Dvalishvili championship fight at UFC 306
Former two-division UFC champion Alexander Volkanovski has weighed in on the highly anticipated UFC 306 main event between Sean O'Malley and Merab Dvalishvili.
Despite O'Malley's recent betting favorite status, Volkanovski believes that Dvalishvili will ultimately prevail. The former champion praised Dvalishvili's relentless pressure and takedown attempts, predicting that he will eventually find a way to ground O'Malley.
Appearing on his YouTube channel, Volkanovski said:
“It’s always hard for me to bet against guys like Merab, I believe he’s like myself and quite a few fighters out there that are just never die attitude, never give up, they’re just constantly there and constantly grinding… I think I’m gonna have to go with Merab.” [H/t: Bloody Elbow]
While Volkanovski ultimately predicted a decision victory for Dvalishvili, he acknowledged the possibility of O'Malley securing another highlight-reel knockout.
Check out Alexander Volkanovksi's prediction below (12:22):