Well, well, well. It looks like Merab Dvalishvili is finally getting his shot at the title. And not a moment too soon, if you ask me.
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So, Sean O’Malley was all set to defend his title for the first time. He was eyeing Merab as his opponent. But then, out of the blue, he calls out Marlon Vera right after knocking Aljamain Sterling out cold at UFC 292. Classic “Suga” move, right?
Meanwhile, “The Machine” Dvalishvili wasn’t just sitting around. He went ahead and showed Henry Cejudo who’s boss at UFC 298 last month. That victory marked his 10th win in a row. Everyone thought, “This has got to secure Merab’s title shot.” But nope, O’Malley had other plans. He turned his sights to featherweight champ Ilia Topuria after defending his bantamweight title against “Chito” at UFC 299 earlier this month.
Dvalishvili was left scratching his head, wondering why O’Malley wasn’t keen on fighting him. Yet, he kept his faith in the UFC to grant him that golden opportunity he’s been itching for. And guess what? It seems his patience paid off. O’Malley has finally confirmed Dvalishvili as his next opponent. Although, he left us hanging without a date or location. Classic.
O’Malley brushed off any talk of avoiding Dvalishvili. He claimed he just wasn’t pumped about the matchup until now. “Merab’s next. Merab is f—-ing next,” O’Malley declared on the TimboSugarShow. “Your wish is granted. A lot of people said I’m ducking him. I just really am not ducking that little dude. I like the fight for me, there’s multiple ways to win. I’m excited about the fight now, finally. I was never ducking him, I was just never excited to fight him. He’s such a… I don’t know. Now, is it the right time. It’s like the ‘Chito’ rematch. The time will come when it’s the right time to fight certain people. Merab’s next and be careful what you wish for, buddy. Careful what you wish for.”
So there you have it. The stage is set, the fighters are ready, and the fans are buzzing. This is going to be one heck of a fight. Stay tuned, folks.