Merab Dvalishvili wants Sean O'Malley rematch, Khamzat Chimaev rates UFC stars, Conor McGregor confirms BKFC video game: MMA News Roundup
Merab Dvalishvili wants Sean O'Malley rematch next, Khamzat Chimaev rates UFC stars and Conor McGregor reveals a BKFC video game is in development.
Find out more details in today's (Oct. 23) Sportskeeda daily news roundup.
#3. Merab Dvalishvili explains wanting Sean O'Malley rematch over facing Umar Nurmagomedov
Merab Dvalishvili has opened up about his fighting future, revealing he'd rather rematch Sean O'Malley than face No.1 contender Umar Nurmagomedov.
'The Machine' won the belt back in September when he defeated O'Malley via unanimous decision at Noche UFC 306. Nurmagomedov was then expected to be next in line, however, Dvalishvili's latest comments appear to suggest something entirely different.
Speaking in a recent interview with MMA Junkie, he cited the fact that both him and O'Malley had already prepared for each other, which would make it easier for both of them to step in on an expedited timeline. He also added that he would prefer to face Nurmagomedov in early 2025. 'The Machine' said:
"I already fought him, and it's easy to come back because we're both in the same situation. We both fought on September 14th and we would both step back [into the octagon] on the same day. But when somebody else has been ready for me, preparing for me, that's a different story. With O'Malley it's easy, we're both in the same situation."
Catch Merab Dvalishvili's comments here (3:25):
#2. Khamzat Chimaev rates UFC stars
Ahead of his return to the octagon at UFC 308 next weekend, Khamzat Chimaev has had his say on some of his fellow UFC stars during a segment with TNT Sports.
'Borz' will face Robert Whittaker in the co-main event of UFC 308, with the winner expected to be handed a title shot at 185 pounds. Chimaev was then asked to give his rating out of 10 for 'The Reaper', to which he said:
"Eight."
When it came to featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, however, the 30-year-old ranked him as high as possible:
"Ten."
Chimaev was then asked about Topuria's opponent, Max Holloway, to which he said:
"Nine."
Check out Chimaev's full ratings here:
#1. Conor McGregor reveals he is working on a BKFC video game
Conor McGregor has revealed that Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is set to enter the video game world, as a new game is reportedly in development.
The Irishman has featured on multiple covers of the UFC's flagship game as well as landed a role in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare back in 2016. Due to his success and the popularity of video games as a whole, McGregor believes it is a market that BKFC can capitalize on.
Responding to a fan on X who was discussing his appearance in previous games, the UFC star stated that he and BKFC are working on a game that will feature never-before-seen aspects. He tweeted:
"These two are pretty good in fairness. I am currently working on a @bareknucklefc video game! Fast pace action with nasty cuts and blood splatter and the sound of bare knuckles on skull impact never heard nor seen before in a video game. Stay tuned!"
Check out his tweet here: