Sean O’Malley is heading into UFC 306 with more confidence than ever. As he prepares to defend his bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili on September 14, 2024, in Las Vegas, O’Malley isn’t shy about his game plan. One key factor he’s set on exploiting? A cut near Dvalishvili’s left eye.
The cut, which Dvalishvili recently revealed on social media, caught the attention of UFC CEO Dana White, who had harsh words for the challenger. White’s reaction wasn’t just about the cut—it was about giving O’Malley a clear target. And O’Malley plans to take full advantage of it.
"I am 100 percent going to open up that cut, whether it’s healed or not,” O’Malley said during an interview with Kevin Iole.
He knows the damage could be decisive, particularly given his striking superiority in the upcoming fight.
O’Malley’s self-assurance has been a constant in his preparation. He believes he has a significant advantage when it comes to striking, and Dvalishvili’s cut is just another opportunity to assert his dominance. O’Malley playfully added,
“I’ll probably accidentally hit his nose before I hit that cut, the nose just kind of takes up 85 percent of his face.”
In a video posted online, Dvalishvili was seen removing stitches from the cut, a move that raised eyebrows, including Dana White’s, who didn’t hold back in criticizing Dvalishvili’s decision-making.
Echoing his boss’s sentiments, O’Malley concluded,
“Dana referring to him as ... I don’t remember what he said, one of the stupidest people, or beyond stupid, or whatever he said was pretty accurate.”
With O'Malley’s confidence and sharp focus on Dvalishvili’s weakness, UFC 306 promises to be an intense showdown.
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