Sean O'Malley must avoid giving into frustration and fighting "matchup problem" Merab Dvalishvili, says Daniel Cormier
Former two-weight UFC champion Daniel Cormier warned Sean O'Malley about fighting No.3-ranked bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili if the title bout with Aljamain Sterling doesn't materialize. O'Malley is currently ranked No.1 in the bantamweight division after beating Petr Yan at UFC 280.
Currently, there isn't any concrete news of O'Malley facing champion Aljamain Sterling, as Henry Cejudo has been eyeing a comeback title fight with 'Funk Master' sometime in 2023.
Skip to 4:00 for Daniel Cormier's message to Sean O'Malley:
Here's what Daniel Cormier said about O'Malley's potential next matchup in a video on his YouTube channel:
"Has he [Sean O'Malley] been assured a title fight? Because if he has, it changes everything. But if he hasn't, does he go and fight a top-level contender to hammer home the idea that he's the next man, or does he wait? The bantamweight division is, to me, the most dangerous division in the world. It may be deeper than anything we have."
Following his analysis of the bantamweight division, 'DC' pointed to a specific fighter in the weight class who might derail O'Malley's dreams of fighting for the title:
"I believe that Merab [Dvalishvili] and his pressure-fighting style could present some matchup problems for O'Malley. Am I saying, 'No, he [O'Malley] can't win?' Not at all. But I'm saying [that] because of his wrestling and pressure, you don't want to stay in there with Merab. The dude's a savage. So as I get into the final minute of the round, I get being frustrated. But, Sean O'Malley, do not allow for the frustration to lead to a bad decision. I think the fight with Merab, when on the verge of a title fight, could be a bad decision [for O'Malley]."
What are Sean O'Malley's plans for 2023?
In a now-private video on his YouTube channel, 'Sugar' expressed that he would like to fight for the title in or before July.
O'Malley spoke about potentially fighting for the title in mid-2023, as he is anticipating the return of former dual-weight champion Henry Cejudo, who may fight Aljamain Sterling in his comeback fight.
Henry Cejudo's potential comeback fight against Aljamain Sterling may cause the bantamweight division to clog up and the rankings to change drastically.
According to Daniel Cormier, it makes the most sense for O'Malley to wait for a title shot rather than fight someone like Merab Dvalishvili out of frustration. 'DC' thinks that Dvalishvili's pressure-fighting combined with his wrestling may pose some major problems for 'Sugar'.
Sean O'Malley last fought Petr Yan at UFC 280 and won the bout via a controversial split decision. The judges' verdict was contentious because many thought that Yan had done enough to secure a victory on the scorecards.