Top bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili thinks it’s time for champion Sean O’Malley to start promoting a fight between the two. After all, UFC CEO Dana White said Dvalishvili is next in line for a title shot.
Dvalishvili (17-4) is riding a 10-fight winning streak and coming off a one-sided win over former champion Henry Cejudo. Prior to the win over “Triple C,” Dvalishvili defeated former champion Petr Yan.
“I know I’m fighting for the belt next,” Dvalishvili told The Schmo. “Sean O’Malley, you’ve got to promote this fight bro. This fight is big. We all know, but he has to keep talking about this fight because he’s going to fight me and we’ve got to promote this fight.”
“He’s very technical, footwork. His reach works. He’s working and getting better and look at him as a good challenge. He’s a dangerous opponent for me,” Dvalishvili continued. “As a fighter I have so much respect for him, but we all have to find out. This is MMA. We all see a kickboxing fight last Saturday. That was like an all strikes fight. He did very good. He did very good against grapplers before. Let’s see how he’s going to do with me. I’m the next guy. We all know.”
Both Dvalishvili and O’Malley are targeting a UFC 306 return on Mexican Independence Day at the Sphere in Las Vegas.
“We are the two best guys in the division. He’s champion. I’m number one. We all know I have a 10-fight win streak and let’s find out. Let’s give people what they want,” Dvalishvili said.
“I’m just going to fight. I’m just going to do my best,” he continued. “I’m ready for everything. I’m getting better everywhere, even striking, grappling, jiu-jitsu. I put in a lot of hard work and we’ll see. I’m ready. Don’t be surprised. I may knock him out. He’s very confident and I have some skills and I’m getting better. I can knock him out.”
https://www.mmaweekly.com/news/merab-dvalishvili-i-can-knock-sean-omalley-out
