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Sean O'Malley recently said he thinks Merab Dvalishvili is afraid to face Umar Nurmagomedov in a potential showdown. Nurmagomedov secured the No. 1 bantamweight contender spot after defeating Cory Sandhagen at UFC Abu Dhabi in August.
Since then, the undefeated Dagestani has been relentless in his pursuit of a title shot in the division, which saw the crown transfer to Dvalishvili after his victory over O'Malley at UFC 306 last month. However, 'The Machine' has continuously downplayed Nurmagomedov as a legitimate contender and has yet to make a clear decision on whom he wants to defend his title against for his first defense.
During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, 'Sugar' questioned why the Dvalishvili vs. Nurmagomedov matchup hasn't already been booked:
"Merab vs. Umar, why is this not being announced? Why aren’t they fighting in November? Why aren’t they fighting in December?"
O'Malley further added that if the potential fight doesn't materialize, he would be interested in rematching Dvalishvili for the title. He stated that 'The Machine' would likely prioritize a bout with him over Nurmagomedov due to his fear of facing the Dagestani:
"I’ll be ready. He would prefer me. I think he’s actually terrified of Umar, if I’m being honest. Not trying to troll, not trying to be goofy, I think Merab’s scared of Umar and would rather fight me. He would probably look at me as an easier fight. So yeah, I think he would pick that if he could."
Check out Sean O'Malley's comments below (9:50):
Following the setback at UFC 306, 'Sugar' announced he will be stepping back for a while and hopes to make his return to the octagon in the first quarter of 2025. This comes after undergoing surgery earlier this month for a torn labrum.
Umar Nurmagomedov critiques Sean O'Malley's game plan against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306
Sean O'Malley failed to retain his bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 in a fight where 'The Machine' dominated for most of the matchup with his elite wrestling. 'Sugar' was unable to utilize his striking, as his stand-up game was periodically neutralized by Dvalishvili.
In a recent interview with MMA reporter Kevin Iole, Umar Nurmagomedov slammed O'Malley's strategy against Dvalishvili:
"O'Malley is a bum, you know, in MMA. He doesn't have any grappling. He doesn't have any wrestling. He didn't even try to fight. He was just waiting; he was just running. He fights like a bum. Merab, he's good. With Merab, you have to go ahead and fight. You have to try to take him down, defend, punch him, and kick him. You can't beat him when you're running from him."
Check out Umar Nurmagomedov's comments below (1:23):
