Sean O’Malley misplaced a clearcut resolution to Merab Dvalishvili.
Like so many opponents earlier than him, “Suga” had no reply for “The Machine’s” punishing takedown assault, getting dragged to the ground six instances throughout their UFC 306 headliner at The Sphere final weekend in Las Vegas.
UFC CEO Dana White claimed O’Malley “regarded flat” on the UFC 306 presser.
“Actually everyone reached out to me that evening and mentioned Sean O’Malley didn’t appear to be himself,” White added at Tuesday evening’s “Contender Sequence” media scrum. “He didn’t look explosive, he didn’t look, , all the identical stuff we had been all saying that evening. To not take something from Merab, however I imply everyone felt that method.”
Effectively, not everyone.
“I do know persons are making an attempt to say that O’Malley regarded flat, I feel that’s the narrative that Dana was making an attempt to push,” Dvalishvili’s buddy and coaching associate, Aljamain Sterling, mentioned on YouTube (transcribed by MMA Junkie). “If I’m being honest, should you have a look at his fights, his observe document of all the fellows he’s crushed, they had been all punching baggage for essentially the most half. … I give credit score the place due. He was nicely ready, however to say he regarded flat is senseless.”
“The opening bell when he’s popping out with these feints, these hip twitches that he does so nicely the place he’s shaking off to the aspect, shaking off to the opposite aspect after which in search of these lengthy strikes, he got here out precisely like Conor McGregor did towards Khabib (Nurmagomedov),” Sterling continued. “Now I gave Merab that very same precise look, popping out with the fingers, lengthy, making an attempt to hit the feints and making an attempt to go to the physique, making an attempt to go up prime.”
O’Malley admits he “over-promised and under-delivered.”
“Merab lastly acquired his honest shake, he acquired a good battle, though O’Malley most likely knew in regards to the Sphere battle earlier than Merab did and had extra time to arrange,” Sterling mentioned. “Once they introduced it for Merab from what I bear in mind, they referred to as him, it was precisely eight weeks. Now come on, as soon as once more we’re making an attempt to place this ball within the courtroom the place he (Merab) has to now scramble round like, ‘Okay, I’m preventing right here. I’ve acquired to get all these coaching companions, be certain that the whole lot is dialed in.”
Sterling was stopped by O’Malley at UFC 292 final summer time in Boston and performed a major position in Dvalishvili’s preparations for UFC 306. Critics have since downplayed O’Malley’s temporary title reign, suggesting his victory over “Funk Grasp” was merely a “fluke.”
For extra UFC 306 information and notes click on right here.
