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Daniel Cormier recently heaped praise on Merab Dvalishvili's performance at Noche UFC 306 this past Saturday and compared it to those of past legends including Khabib Nurmagomedov. The Georgian earned a unanimous decision over Sean O'Malley to become the new bantamweight champion.
'The Machine' had an excellent performance as he didn't allow 'Suga' to get comfortable on the feet, especially due to the threat of a takedown. He was successful with his gameplan as he shut O'Malley down and forced him in a position where he needed a finish to retain his title.
Immediately following Noche UFC 306, the former two-division champion reacted to what had transpired and explained what 'The Machine' did throughout the fight. Cormier mentioned that Dvalishvili exhausted O'Malley with his effective gameplan, which resulted in his unanimous decision win:
"Merab [Dvalishvili] is that mauling type of fighter that really does wear you down. Justin Gaethje told me, he goes, '[Dvalishvili] Khabib'd [O'Malley], he Belal Muhammad' him...that up-and-down sh*t is exhausting'. And it's true because Cain Velasquez used to do it to me. It was Merab in classic Merab form. Going forward, moving around." [2:44 - 3:08]
Check out Daniel Cormier's full video regarding Merab Dvalishvili's performance below:
Daniel Cormier discusses Merab Dvalishvili's path to UFC bantamweight title
In addition to analyzing Merab Dvalishvili's performance against Sean O'Malley, Daniel Cormier discussed his impressive path to the UFC bantamweight title.
During the aforementioned video, Cormier complimented Dvalishvili for continuing to take on top contenders, which made himself undeniable for a title shot and took advantage of the opportunity:
"This dude's a deserving champion, [Dvalishvili] has waited a long time to get this opportunity. He fought all the best. I mean, his last two fights are Petr Yan and Henry Cejudo...He fought everyone because the general idea is he's not fun, so he fought everyone to get there. Once it was no denying it, he got his opportunity and cashed in." [5:45 - 6:05]
Check out Merab Dvalishvili's reaction to becoming UFC bantamweight champion below:
