Herb Dean addresses Merab Dvalishvili kissing Sean O'Malley mid-fight at UFC 306: "A little too much romance"  

UFC referee Herb Dean has weighed in on the unusual moment that unfolded during the UFC 306 main event between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O'Malley.

In the second round of the fight, Dvalishvili, who was dominating the action, surprised fans by kissing O'Malley's back while they were locked in a clinch. The unexpected display of affection caught both fighters and the crowd off guard.

Dean, who was officiating the fight, addressed the incident in a recent interview with Helen Yee:

"That does fall under unsportsmanlike conduct," he said. "It was a little bit romantic. A little too much romance."

Check out Herb Dean's comments below (7:18):

While the action was undoubtedly a strange moment, it didn't significantly impact the outcome of the fight. Dvalishvili continued to dominate O'Malley throughout the remaining rounds, eventually securing a unanimous decision victory and claiming the bantamweight title.

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Merab Dvalishvili is ready to take on his next challenge

Newly crowned UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili has expressed his willingness to fight any opponent the promotion puts in front of him, regardless of their ranking. The Georgian fighter, who recently defeated Sean O'Malley to claim the title, announced on social media:

"Guys- I hear all of you! I am a company man. Whoever the UFC puts in front of me , I will fight as I always do ,even if I don't think they deserve the next shot. Let's Go 🦾"

Check out Merab Dvalishvili's post below:

The announcement has set the stage for a potential showdown between Dvalishvili and undefeated Russian prospect Umar Nurmagomedov. 'Young Eagle' secured his place as the number one contender with a victory over Cory Sandhagen last month.