Merab Dvalishvili understands how the sport works.
MMA is a sport that’s constructed on wins and losses nearly as a lot as recognition and hype. Some fighters like UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley discover fame faster than most and people athletes get a much bigger push from a promotion just like the UFC whereas others should work twice as exhausting to get observed.
Put Dvalishvili into that latter class after he needed to rattle off 10 wins in a row together with three victories over former UFC champions to lastly get his personal likelihood at profitable a title. He’s not bitter concerning the street he needed to journey to get right here however Dvalishvili is aware of it’s going to imply that rather more when he lastly places that gold belt round his waist.
“I shall be so proud,” Dvalishvili advised MMA Preventing. “As a result of I do know I don’t get nothing handed to me. I needed to work for every little thing that I bought and I shall be very proud. I’m already happy with myself and I do know and all of the true MMA followers know. I’m right here and combating exhausting. I don’t have strain or something. Will probably be particular for me. However first I’ve to win this combat.
“It is a powerful problem for me. Sean O’Malley is an effective fighter and that’s why I all the time wished to combat him. I wish to win this combat and I wish to be natural. I don’t wish to overthink. I don’t wish to be cocky. First I’ve to win this combat and after we are able to speak. One factor is for certain, I’m working exhausting and I’m very hungry.”
Within the days and weeks main as much as the combat, Dvalishvili has displayed a whole lot of confidence that he’s going to develop into champion however he’s additionally acknowledged that O’Malley isn’t simply going to roll over and play useless.
On the flipside, O’Malley has constantly promised that he’s going to ship a first-round knockout and Dvalishvili says he’s heard again and again how he’s going to get dispatched identical to Aljamain Sterling.
O’Malley completed Sterling inside two rounds to win the UFC title however Dvalishvili reminds the all the time outspoken and colourful champion that as a lot as he values his buddy and teammates, they’re not the identical fighters.
“That’s their drawback — they’re too cocky,” Dvalishvili mentioned. “Even Sean advised me through the faceoff [at a promotional shoot for UFC 306], he advised me ‘what’s going to be completely different between you and Aljo? I’m going to knock you out the identical factor.’ Initially, you don’t knock Aljo out. Sure, you dropped him and Marc Goddard stopped the combat early. Second of all, each combat is completely different. In case you fought Aljo 10 extra instances, I consider he’ll beat you 9 instances. Identical factor with me.
“Don’t underestimate me. I’m a fighter. I’m right here. Laborious work bought me right here and also you’ve bought to indicate me respect. In case you don’t present me respect, see what I did towards Petr Yan? I’m going to do the identical factor towards Sean O’Malley. Identical factor, [Yan] didn’t present me respect and I’m going to be impolite. I’m going to make him humble. I don’t like these bully folks. I don’t like these individuals who look over you. They give the impression of being on prime, they suppose they’re higher than you however we’re the identical. We’re fighters. Perhaps I’m even higher than him so we are going to discover out quickly.”
On paper the UFC 306 principal occasion seems just like the basic “striker versus grappler” matchup with O’Malley preferring to remain on his ft to ship punches and Dvalishvili using a high-paced wrestling based mostly offense that suffocates his opponents.
However Dvalishvili believes deep down inside that his personal putting arsenal is being vastly underrated by O’Malley and his camp heading into the combat. In actual fact, Dvalishvili made fairly a daring prediction about how that’s going to come back again to chew them.
“I wish to knock Sean O’Malley out,” Dvalishvili declared. “I’ll knock him out. You guys shall be shocked. Watch this combat and also you guys will see. I do know folks suppose I’m a grappler. You guys will see. I’m going to indicate completely different expertise. I’m going to knock him out. I’m going to outstrike him. You guys will see. I’m going to f*ck the shit out of him, too. You will notice.”
After all, Dvalishvili isn’t going to disclose his full technique for the combat however he’s been working tirelessly to make sure he has just a few new toys to play with come Saturday night time and that features “Mexican model” boxing to shock O’Malley on the ft.
Perhaps it’s simply psychological warfare to make O’Malley overlook about the way in which Dvalishvili goes for takedowns like he’s mashing the identical button again and again in a sport of Mortal Kombat.
Then once more, Dvalishvili may simply consider that O’Malley’s hubris actually will come again to chew him.
“One factor is for certain, I’m working exhausting and I’m very hungry,” Dvalishvili mentioned. “I’m going to shock lots of people. I’m telling you I’m on the lookout for the knockout and don’t be shocked if I knock him out.”
