Sean O’Malley admits he fought injured against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 after last-minute call from UFC brass
Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley lost his crown last year at UFC 306 to Merab Dvalishvili. 'Suga' recently revealed that 10 weeks before the fight, he tore his hip but decided to continue due to the event taking place at The Sphere.
O’Malley admitted he was proud of his performance considering how he felt physically, but also confessed that he may have underestimated Dvalishvili’s skill due to overconfidence.
The 30-year-old feels he probably shouldn’t have taken the fight, but asserted that the eventual comeback victory will feel even sweeter after enduring this loss. Speaking to ESPN MMA, he said:
"I was proud of my performance considering how I felt going into the fight. I don't want to have excuses—it wasn't a great cramp, but it was a good cramp that I was able to deal with. I was overconfident, I was underestimating Merab’s skill. I just believe in myself that much.
"Looking back on it, I probably shouldn't have accepted the fight. I tore my hip 10 weeks before the fight. Eight weeks before the fight, Hunter calls me and says, 'You got The Sphere,' and I was like, I'm not gonna turn it down… it's whatever. I think it's gonna make it that much sweeter of a victory after having a loss, so yeah, I'm happy with."
Check out Sean O'Malley's comments below:
Henry Cejudo breaks down Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O'Malley rematch at UFC 316
Sean O'Malley is getting an immediate chance to win back his bantamweight title as his highly anticipated rematch against Merab Dvalishvili is set to headline the UFC 316 event this weekend.
Former UFC double champion Henry Cejudo shared his thoughts on the upcoming title fight during a recent episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast. While mentioning his belief of Dvalishvili coming out on top once again, Cejudo said:
"Merab Dvalishvili, he's pretty much going to do the same thing. Level change, strike, level change, strike. Maybe give up the first round and bring in the takedowns. It's the same thing. The question is to me, could a guy like Sean O'Malley hit him to the body early, crack him in the face, and get rid of him?"
He added:
"He did hurt him to the body in the fifth, and that's an indicator that the body could be open, and I think if Merab starts getting hit to the body, he's going to really pivot the pace. I can see Merab Dvalishvili stopping him this time around, and just getting on top of him and ground and pounding him to a pulp."
Check out Henry Cejudo's comments below (2:52):