Merab Dvalishvili shares training footage after sustaining injury, vows not to withdraw from UFC 306: "You think this little cut's gonna stop me?"
Merab Dvalishvili recently posted a training video after suffering a cut above his eye, firmly declaring that he won't back out of his title fight against Sean O'Malley at UFC 306. 'The Machine' is gearing up to challenge the reigning UFC bantamweight champion in the upcoming pay-per-view event, set for Sept. 14 at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Dvalishvili sustained a facial laceration during training less than a month before the biggest fight of his career and promptly shared videos on social media, documenting the aftermath of the injury.
It’s unusual for a fighter to publicly share even a minor injury, especially so close to a fight. This has made the MMA community somewhat anxious about whether the 33-year-old Georgian's participation in the bout might be jeopardized.
Just hours after the incident, Dvalishvili took to Instagram to share a video of his latest training session, showcasing his striking pad work. 'The Machine' quelled any concerns, assuring the fans that he has no intention of withdrawing from UFC 306. He said:
"Let's go, guys! Sept. 14, I'm coming, Sean O'Malley; you're in big trouble... I want to tell all these people that everything is good. This is my third training session today, and I got a little cut, but this is part of the training. I'm here with my team, training every day. I'm here in the gym 24/7, guys. You think this little cut is going to stop me? I don't understand. I guess you guys are weak and are making excuses, talking too much."
Check out Merab Dvalishvili's video below:
Dvalishvili's initial video of the injury sparked some apprehension for 'Sugar', who expressed his worries about the fight’s status in a post on X:
"This little f**kin rat better not pull out I swear to god."
Check out Sean O'Malley's post below:
Dana White rips into Merab Dvalishvili for publicizing training cut online
At a recent 'DWCS' post-fight press conference, UFC CEO Dana White strongly rebuked Merab Dvalishvili and questioned the rationale behind disclosing his laceration on social media just weeks ahead of UFC 306.
"The whole world knows about Merab’s cut. He posted it. Our guys are so dumb, it’s next-level unbelievable... Our guys can’t f**king wait to throw it up on social media. It’s a small cut. It’s no big deal. But obviously, it needed to be posted. Why the f**k would you want him to know that? It is next-level stupid. Some of these guys are so stupid it’s mind-boggling."
Check out Dana White's comments below: